Wild Teenage Summer
by monochromemermaid
Summary: It's the gang's last summer before senior year and splitting ways, and you can guarantee they're going to make the most of it. Will secrets, drama, and a whole island of tourists get in their way, or will these teens really have the best summer ever? Rated T for language and content, Sokai, Rokunami, and other ships
1. Background Info

**A.N**.- I would like to start off saying I do not own Kingdom Hearts or these characters. However, these characters are based off of real life people and situations, very closely. This story is about 8 friends who have quite the wild summer vacation. It is sort of AU but still uses items mentioned in the series (such as papou fruit, sea-salt ice cream, elixir, etc)

This is just some important background info, character breakdown and what not:) Enjoy, Hope you like it

**Main Characters:**

Kairi Traverse

Sora Hikari

Namine White

Roxas Hart

Selphie Tilmitt

Tidus Keystone

Xion Black

Riku Smith

**Bio Breakdown:**

Kairi- If you've ever just been drawn to somebody, that's exactly what Kairi is. She's very spunky and light-hearted, and very friendly and compassionate. She loves to hang out with her friends and joke around. She often just wants to have fun and steers clear of any conflict. She gets along with everybody and anybody

SUMMARY: Spunky, Passionate, Cute, Flirty

Sora- He is the leader of the group if they had to chose one, despite the fact he has hid childish moments from time to time. He's also the blitzball star of the whole island! He's always the one making jokes and fooling around, and most of the time he takes the fall for the whole group, which is very kind of him. MHe's very popular to the girls on the island for being so charming and gentlemanly

SUMMARY: Spontaneous, Funny, Protective, Charming

Namine- Hands down Namine is the sweetest girl you will ever meet. She's very shy and quiet but underneath that, with her real friends, she's outgoing and adventurous. Her personality is very straight forward and there's nothing to hide. She's also extremely beautiful. She could easily have any guy in the school, yet she's pure as white. She tends to bring out the best in people

SUMMARY: Beautiful, Innocent, Sweet, Shy

Roxas- He is the one member with the highest walls. He is quite misunderstood. Often times he comes off as self-assured and arrogant, but with the group he's very laid-back and cool. There's only one person who can completely break down the walls. He really has a pure heart of gold and tends to look out for his friends a lot. Many girls consider him "undateable" but drop dead gorgeous, obviously drawn in by the so-called bad boy reputation they imagine him to have

SUMMARY: Kind, Down to Earth, Good-Looking, Big-Hearted

Selphie- She's surprisingly one of the smartest girls at DIHS, without a doubt in the top ten of her class. However, she's also the biggest girly-girl. She is (usually) cautious of everything they do and always seems to be right. She never shoves her beauty or brain in anyone's face though, but when she's right she WILL let you know it. She's also very sarcastic and witty when around people she's comfortable with. Lately she's been trying to "let loose" and break out of her strict ideals

SUMMARY: Considerate, Intelligent, Pretty, Girly

Tidus- Jock, with a capital J. Football star, Lacrosse star, and captain of the blitzball team. Essentially he's the pride and joy of Destiny Islands but he hates all the pressure and looks to his friends to help releive it instead of alcohol like every other idiot at school. He tends to rely heavily on his boyish grin to get him out of trouble. Although he is a jock, he is far from cocky. He loves his group of friends, and he wouldn't change any of them

SUMMARY: Athletic, Boyish, Mischievious, Thoughtful

Xion- If ever there was a tom boy, the award goes to Xion. Basketball, Field Hockey, and softball star, with many activities on the side including gaming, skating, and surfing. She used to be very good friends with Roxas as children. Used to... however, many guys like her -as a friend- for her relaxed attitude and the fact they don't have to hold back around her. She always wishes though that someone would treat her like an actual girl. Essentially, she's just "one of the guys" but she's been trying break out from the label

SUMMARY: Sporty, Defensive, Tough, Clever

Riku- He's not really anything specific. He doesn't excel in any category like Tidus and Selphie do, and he's not exactly a people person like Sora and Kairi. He tends to keep the balance and observes. He usually knows even more than Selphie but he keeps it all to himself. Sometimes he shares it with Xion secretly. He is quite the gamer and although he likes to stir the pot sometimes, the group embraces him

SUMMARY: Quiet, Observant, Smart, Nice

**RESIDENCY:**

*Kairi, Sora, Namine, Roxas, and Selphie live on the the more busier side of the main avenue, which is the side where the beach and everything else is. Riku, Xion, and Tidus live on the other side, which is further from everything else. Kairi and Sora are next door neighbors.*

**Relationships Stage 1 (Past)-**

Riku and Kairi: Freshmen year, right after Riku joined the group, he had a crush on Kairi. He asked her out and she politely declined. They still managed to be good friends.

Namine and Sora: Namine really liked Sora sophomore year but knew that he liked someone else. When she found out who it was, she confessed her feelings but also told him she knew who he liked and would keep it a secret. They got even closer after that and developed a sort of brother/sister relationship

Xion and Roxas: These two grew up together before they even joined the group. Xion has always had feelings for Roxas. She thinks she kept it a secret but Roxas actually knew, which caused them to rift apart.

**Relationships Stage 2 (Present)-**

To be continued...

**Friendships outside of group: **

Sora and Kairi: Closest out of everybody in the group. They've lived beside each other since Sora moved from Twilight Town when he was 5. They sleep over each others houses and share each other's food, they're so close it's not even normal friendship. But then, what is it?

Kairi and Namine: Ever since sophomore year these two are inseparable. They are best friends. They spend a lot of time together, and they actually have quite a lot in common despite their differences. They often have meetings to help each other pick out clothes and just do girly things that Kairi can't exactly do with Sora.

Sora and Roxas: These two are so close in their bromance that it's a wonder they aren't twins! However, the both of them working at the local surf rental was a big disaster. Sora + Roxas = TROUBLE. No wonder Wakka is always yelling at them for creating a mess. Roxas and Sora are so charismatic that they often find a way out of punishment. They come up with the absolute best schemes.

Xion and Riku: Riku is practically Xion's therapist. She tells him everything she feels and he tries to help her. He in return also tells her everything he notices and observes between everyone in the group. They often vent to each other over a good Xbox session or they treat each other to ice cream occassionally.

Namine and Roxas: Once Roxas started opening up to her, these two spend all their time outside of the group together. Nobody really knows what they're always up to.

Kairi and Selphie: Selphie is Kairi's go to girl for a good girly time. When it comes to shopping, gossiping, sleepovers, and boy talk, Selphie's the expert.

Tidus and Sora: These two are there for each other. They call each other "bruh" as a joke but apparently somewhere in the jock code there's some explanation as to why these two are so alike

**Sub Characters:**

Yuffie Saki: Works at the Paopu Shack with Kairi, they bond together over making Paopu smoothies

Yuna Gullwing: As the younger sister of Rikku, she is a sophomore with a HUGE crush on Sora

Cloud Strife: An old friend of the group who Sora is mortal enemies with for unknown reasons. He was dismissed from the group years ago

Rikku Gullwing: A girl desperate to be part of the "elite eight"

Olette: She's a friend to most of the group, especially Selphie

Wakka: Simply put, he is Roxas and Sora's boss but he treats them better than all the other employees due to a soft spot for them

Axel Rosoku: He's an older friend to most of the group, and he's often their mediater if any issues break out. As senseless and/or reckless as he may be, he really looks out for them and offers them the best advice.

(Some/Most of these characters will not appear for long- if at all, and are merely just mentioned a lot and I felt some kind of info would be nice)

**Occupations:**

Kairi- She works at the Papou Shack which is basically an ice cream/smoothie place with some fruit and pastries. Everything they make has some sort of ingredient of papou fruit in it which makes it a huge hit to the locals of Destiny Islands.

Sora and Roxas- These two work at the local surf rental run by Wakka called "Surf's Up" It only opens for the summer but it booms with all the tourism so they can't complain. If only they could go a day without raising Wakka's blood pressure...

Namine- Namine works for Aerith at the local ice cream bar called Destiny Dairy, most popular for their exclusive sea-salt ice cream. She is one of few workers but doesn't mind since service with a smile is her expertise

Selphie- Selphie and her friend Olette, another Einsteinette, have a very successful summer tutoring program in which they tutor some of the other students of Destiny Islands.

Xion, Riku, Tidus- UNEMPLOYED

**A.N.- **So, I ended up changing this and restarting it which is why the wait has been a while. I had the hardest time deciding between two characters. Xion was originally going to like Tidus because of the sports connection and before that, Selphie was originally going to be Olette and Tidus's character would inevitably be Hayner. However, that ship (Xion X Tidus) was just so unrealistic I pitched it. But I really wanted Olette to be Selphie's character. However, I had 8 bios set up and I really didn't want to change Tidus and Hayner:/ However Olette will be mentioned! And Selphie isn't like some smarty-smart pants, she just tries hard in school. Her character is supposed to be more girly and preppy as per the usual portrayal of Selphie. Well, this is just the background info for the characters and story I'm starting now for the fandom!

And as a heads up, I KNOW Tidus is shipped with Yuna in FF. However, I have never played FF and therefore this story is pretty much about the characters from Kingdom Hearts that I know about. I really don't know much about Yuna, let alone Yuna and Tidus together so I am sorry if you're disappointed that Selphie is being paired up with Tidus. It's just the only solution I had.

Let me know any thoughts/comments/concerns! I hope y'all liked it and I hope you check it out!


	2. Summer Nights

**Title: Summer Nights (By Rascal Flatts)**

**WARNING- This chapter is rated T for the following: Language and PG13 content.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Kingdom Hearts franchise**

* * *

_BBBBBBRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGG!_

Finally, summer vacation was here. After 180 days learning about stupid Agrabah and stupid algebra, summer was finally here! As I left that classroom for the last time in months, I bumped into Xion in the hall.

"Hey Kairi, are the plans still on for tonight?" She asked as she was passing with Riku. I nodded

"Of course, it's a tradition, remember?" I saw her smile before they turned the corner and I just rushed to my locker. I was so excited to leave and meet up with the gang. You see, it's been a 4 year running tradition that our group spends the night of the last day of school together. We make a bonfire, go swimming, and just basically kick off the summer with a bang.

I chuckled as I felt relieved that Axel was still at Twilight Town University and couldn't take that expression literally. In the past, our fiery redheaded pyromaniac had brought fireworks to the meet up. Let's just say that did not end well. I ran out to the parking lot with all my stuff to see that familiar spiky head of hair poking out over the roof of a car. I ran over to see everybody there. Namine, Selphie, Xion, Tidus, Riku, Roxas, and of course, Sora, my best friend.

"Hey, what took you so long Kai?" Sora asked, grabbing my bag and hauling it in the back of his car.

"Sorry, I got caught up in all the memories. I was just thinking how relieved I was that Axel can't make it."

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Roxas asked, defending his best friend. We all just laughed because as much as we loved Roxas and Axel, they were even worse than Roxas and Sora together, and that was pretty bad to say the least.

"Well, come on then we're wasting time. Let's get going. We should meet up at Destiny Dairy, alright? Nobody's got any shifts tonight, right?" Sora asked. Everyone shook their heads no as they started climbing in their cars. "Perfect. Be there by 7 everyone." They all nodded and we broke off into our own separate little groups. I climbed into the front seat of Sora's car as he quickly pulled out of the junior lot and sped off towards our houses.

"Aren't you excited, Sora?" I asked, almost jumping up and down. He just laughed and combed a hand through that ridiculous spiky mess he called hair.

"Yeah..." He trailed off and I could tell he was thinking. His answer wasn't completely honest. His lips scrunched up as his hands gripped the steering wheel and his eyes watched the road ahead. "I guess I just have a weird feeling about this summer." He said kind of worriedly.

"Is it good or bad?" I asked, rolling down the window and letting the island winds blow my hair around. I observed the heavy amounts of traffic we were already running into, and it was only the beginning of June.

"Neither. It's just... I have a feeling this summer is gonna be way different from the others, you know what I mean? Like, I can't help but feel like something big is going to happen." Sora said.

"Wow, you've been thinking a lot lately, haven't you?" Sora was never this philosophical unless he'd been thinking which also meant he was serious. And Sora was hardly serious. He just shrugged and kept his eyes on the road. I noticed how his blue eyes looked a shade brighter in the sunlight. _'Wow, he's cute. NO, Kairi, stop yourself'_.

"It's nothing Kai, I've just got this weird feeling. We'll see how tonight goes first. Speaking of, what do you wanna do for the next 4 hours before we meet up with everybody?" Sora asked as he pulled into his driveway. We've lived right beside each other for the past 12 years and we somehow maintained our friendship through the "I'm-too-cool-for-you" middle school phase most boys go through. Then Namine and Riku came along and the rest is pretty much history.

I followed him into his house to see that it was empty. I wasn't surprised. Sora's mother was a nurse at Destiny Island Local Hospital and tended to take extra shifts all the time. It was just Sora's mother ever since Sora's dad ran out on them. That's why they moved to the island in the first place.

"So we got a few hours to kill, what would you like to do?" Sora asked me, turning around and grinning at me lazily. He really needed to stop that...

"Well, I think it's safe to say we've seen just about every movie ten times so what do you think?" I asked, padding over to his freezer and pulling out a cherry popsicle. I turned around to see him standing on the staircase with a smirk on his face. I shook my head but smiled anyways and made my way up the stairs. He followed behind me as I walked into the first door on the left.

It was his bedroom. Whenever we didn't feel like watching a movie or playing video games or whatnot, we came up here. Well, Sora would convince me to come up here so he could take a nap. His room was surprisingly neat for a boy. His bed was made, there weren't clothes strewn about, and best of all, you could see the floor.

I plopped myself down on his bed, sitting against the wall and making sure my popsicle didn't melt on anything. Sora groaned as he threw himself face first onto the covers and I laughed.

"I'm so tired Kairi." He mumbled, putting his head in my lap. My heart sped up and my stomach immediately fluttered as I felt myself blush. Despite the jumble of feelings, I managed to run my hands through his hair. He hummed in approval and I smiled. "Kairi?"

"Yeah?" I asked. He cracked an eye open and smiled up at me sleepily.

"I'm glad we're best friends." He said before closing his eyes and slipping back into sleep.

But there it was. The F word. Friends. I sighed as I ran my hands through his spikes, finishing up my popsicle and letting my mind wander.

Sora was my best friend, that was true. But lately, I began to notice I felt a lot more towards him than best friends could describe. I just saw him differently. Whenever I looked in his eyes, I felt my pulse jump and my throat would go dry. Whenever he smiled at me, this warmth just flooded my veins and I felt every nerve tingle across my body. And on the occasions where his arm would just brush against mine, all of the above would happen. I sighed again, gently placing his head against his pillow and wandering back downstairs.

I knew it was happening. It had been for years. And for years I had the power to push it back, but lately I was losing the will to do it. Whenever he was around, it was a constant fight between my body and my brain. I just wanted to push him against the wall and kiss him, but at the same time I knew I could never do it. 12 years worth of friendship would be destroyed in a second.

I ran a hand through my hair as I wandered further down the house. I opened the door to the basement and followed the steps into the studio. The walls were covered in sound panels, and there were two stools in the middle of the room. About ten guitars sat in stands on the ground, lining the wall. I didn't know how to play them, but Sora did. It's beyond cliché, I know. But he was great.

I sat on a stool and thought back to the last time we had been here, about a week ago...

_Sora was strumming his guitar mindlessly and humming along to some song. I recognized it immediately, it was both of our favorites. I just watched, my eyes never leaving his hands. Suddenly, he laughed and stopped strumming, placing the guitar down. "You've got that face on Kairi." He said with a smirk._

_"What face? I don't have a face."_

_"Yes you do. It's your 'my mind is miles away face'. Where's your head at?" He asked, directing all his attention to me. Truthfully, my mind was somewhere it really shouldn't have been._

_"It's nowhere, I was just thinking." I said, trying my best to avoid lying to him. He sighed heavily, seeing right through it._

_"Kai... you've been distracted lately. Is everything okay?" He asked, resting a hand on my knee. I tried to ignore the jolt of electricity that I felt._

_"Yeah Sora. I've just had a lot on my mind ya know?" I said, smiling. He frowned and moved his stool closer._

_"Kairi, I'm your best friend, you know I'm always here to talk."_

_"Of course I know that. It's just... a girl thing." I technically wasn't lying._

_"Is it a guy?" I couldn't place it in his voice and his eyes, but there was this feeling that I'd never really heard or saw in him before. He sighed and looked down at his knees before looking me straight in the eye. His blue eyes shone with sincerity. "Cause' if it is... I want you to be happy."_

_"Sora, trust me, if I liked some guy, I would tell you in a heartbeat." I said with a smile. Now that wasn't technically a lie either because one, Sora was not just some guy, and two, because I didn't think I just liked him._

_"Promise?" He asked, his eyes flickering. I just nodded and watched the smile pop back onto his face, which made the corners of my lips tug upwards._

Looking back on it, I felt guilty but I knew I had to lie to him. I knew Sora and I would always be friends, but even if I confessed my feelings, things would never be the same between us. I sighed and sat down, trying to sort through the mess of thoughts.

"Hey sorry about that." I turned around to see Sora scratching the back of his neck. I giggled as he made his way down to his spot. He picked up a guitar along the way and plopped down with a smile. "So, where were we last week?" He asked. I just blushed as he started to strum that same song...

* * *

Seven o'clock finally rolled around and after making a mess trying to cook mac n cheese, Sora and I headed out to Destiny Dairy. We decided to go on foot since it was going to be a long night. We joked and teased in our familiar banter the whole way there. We were the last ones to get there though as we saw the rest of the gang eating sea salt ice cream.

"Don't worry I'll get ours Kai." Sora said, running up to the order window. I plopped down next to Namine and across from Selphie.

"Riku, for the last time, I didn't cheat on my history exam!" Selphie yelled across the table. I laughed, realizing I walked into another argument. Selphie and Riku typically fought like cats and dogs, but deep down they really did care about each other. It was just deeper down than most friendships

"It's just impossible to get a 100 on a worlds history final!" He exclaimed, waving his ice cream around for emphasis.

"No, it's this thing called studying. You should try it sometime instead of using the internet just to look up por-"

"Whoa, I'm glad I missed out on this conversation." Sora said quickly, taking a seat next to me on the end. He handed me the blue creamy treat and smiled. "Don't worry, it's on me." He said. This boy was going to kill me. I blushed and accepted the treat as Riku and Selphie went back to their debate.

"Besides doofus, there's another thing called a grade curve." She said smugly. We all just laughed when Riku shook his head at his defeat.

We sat there for a good 30 minutes talking about our summer plans. We were all beyond psyched and it was just the beginning of summer.

"So I hear there's a party up at Leon's on Friday. You guys going?" Roxas asked. Everyone seemed to be game for it. Leon's parties were notorious to Destiny Island.

"Do you guys want to start towards the beach now? It's getting dark enough and the beach is on the other side of town" Tidus suggested. We all agreed and started heading towards the beach.

Whenever the whole group was around, there wasn't a single boring moment. We all joked and teased and reminisced the whole way to the beach. After all, we had four years of embarrassing stories and adventures to look back on. I laughed as I thought back on all of it. Even then, I was still pushing back those feelings for Sora. And here we were, the last summer before adulthood and I couldn't believe it.

"Guys, we're going to be seniors. This is crazy." I said, looking around at everybody. We had learned that our group would be parting ways early next summer. Selphie would most likely be accepted on early admissions at Hollow Bastion University, which was the best Ivy League around. Tidus would have to leave early for whatever sports team he played on in college. And knowing Xion, she'd probably take the first ship out of here after graduation to fulfill her dream of travelling.

"Aw, Kairi are you trying to bum us out." Xion said, bumping into my side

"We've got the whole summer, right guys?" Sora said, trying to cheer me up.

"Yeah, and it's gonna be the best one yet!" Riku cheered as he sprinted ahead onto the beach that lay deserted before us. The others ran after him, laughing and I joined them, running into the waters. We were in knee-high water, splashing around and having fun, and it really felt like summer. All the worries left my mind as we just fooled around, screaming and laughing, and just being kids.

After about an hour of being in the water, we all got out and started to look for spare logs and wood to make a bonfire. I broke off and went to look around the area with Namine.

"So, you and Roxas seem to be pretty close." I said, trying to bring up conversation. Lately, they were always together in the hallways and I found it strange. She blushed bright pink and turned away, picking up a small log.

"Oh yeah, he's a good friend." She said. That surprised me.

"Really?"

"Well... yeah. I don't know, he's just different I guess. We kind of get each other if you know what I mean." Nami said quietly, blushing. Huh, so they were closer than I thought. I decided not to pry though and dropped it.

"Yeah I get what you mean." I said as we headed back.

"Do you think we've got enough?" She asked as I looked at the pile.

"Yeah, besides Riku and Tidus are still out." I said as Roxas got to work on lighting the kindle. As the fire was picking up, Riku and Tidus appeared with two armfuls of wood, which amounted to the perfect size. We all sat on the logs we had gathered to place around the outside. I sat next to Sora.

"Okay, let's get started." Riku said, reaching into his bag and bringing out about four bottles of Gephetto's **elixir (1). **He passed them around, each person taking what they wanted. Sora grabbed a Cherry flavored bottle and smirked at me, making my stomach flutter again. He passed the rest onto Roxas who sat beside him.

"Sorry, looks like we're sharing." He said cheekily before popping off the cap and taking a sip. I rolled my eyes and looked around to see who else chose to drink tonight. Riku and Xion had their own bottles, both of the same Vanilla flavor, and I rolled my eyes. They would refuse to share. I looked at Roxas, expecting to see him with a bottle but he seemed to be empty-handed. Soon, all eyes were on him.

"What? I don't feel like drinking tonight." He said, shrugging. Namine looked at him too, but she looked proud almost. But wait, if Roxas didn't take the last bottle, then...

_Pop!_

We all turned to the source of the sound to see Selphie with a bottle straight in the air and her head thrown back, gulping back the Raspberry flavored elixir. She finally brought the bottle down and swallowed the last of what was in her mouth. She didn't even flinch, hell my throat burned just thinking about it!

"What? I can't drink or something." She said, looking around at the pairs of eyes fixed on her. She just leaned back and tilted the bottle towards Tidus. "Want any?" He just shook his head, too shocked for words.

"Okay... well let's start the game before everybody gets drunk." Sora said, trying to get everybody's attention back on the same page.

"I'll go first." Xion offered, taking a gulp of her elixir. "I'll chose truth."

"Alright, how far have you gone with a guy this year?" Riku asked. Our little group had a system. Riku came up with the dares and truths for everybody since he had a knack for raising the stakes so it wasn't a boring middle school game anymore. When it was Riku's turn, the person who asked Riku would have to make up the truth or dare for him.

Xion shrugged thinking about it. "I guess second base, but really Riku, the first question and right off the bat your mind is in the gutter?" She teased.

"I'll go next! Pick me! Selphie said as her hand shot straight up, nearly bringing her body with it.

"Ok Selphie, truth or dare?" Xion asked her.

"Dare."

"Hmmm... let's see. Oh I got it. I dare you to finish that bottle of elixir. Chug it." Riku said. This was so not a good idea. I went to say something but Selphie already had the bottom of the bottle pointed at the stars. It took her a good ten or fifteen seconds before it was drained. She slammed it down on the sand and punched the air with her fists.

"Victory!" She was definitely tipsy but we all laughed at the display. "Okay, now... Tidus, truth or dare?" She asked, turning to look over at Tidus.

"Um... truth."

"Who's the hottest girl in our grade?"

"Um... I guess Alice?" He said, referring to the ditsy blonde who was infamous for getting wasted, high, or both at every party she attended. He seemed pretty unsure of his answer but I waved it off given that he seemed pretty uncomfortable with Selphie's tipsy outburst. "Ok Roxas, your turn."

"Truth." All the guys seemed to be chickening out. Axel would be extremely disappointed at this.

"How many girls have you hit already?" Riku asked.

"Dude, can you back off with the personal sexual questions?" Sora said authoritatively. Riku just nodded and went back to thinking. Nobody questioned Sora's leadership. He was just the leader. "Alright I've got a new one. How many girls do you want to hit?" Or maybe not. I mentally face-palmed. Riku was gonna get slapped by the end of the night, I felt it.

"Well, to answer the first question, none." I couldn't help but let my jaw drop in surprise. Roxas was a virgin? "And to answer your second question I wouldn't necessarily say I want to do her, but there is one girl. Ok Nami, your turn."

"Dare." The only dares so far were Namine's and Selphie's. At least someone was stepping up to the plate

"Really Nam?" Riku asked, rolling his eyes. She just nodded persistently. "Okay then. I dare you to ask a truth." Riku said.

"That's totally cheating Riku!" Selphie exclaimed from her slumped position against the log Tidus was sitting on. "If I were you, I'd dare her to drink the tasty elixir that I had. What was it, raspberry right? The bottle's here somewhere..." She was definitely drunk off her ass. We all burst out laughing at drunk Selphie and took a minute to get it together before going back to the game.

"Alright, I'll go with truth since Riku's off his game tonight." Namine said

"Well then, is it true you've never kissed anybody?" Riku asked. Namine paused and I found it strange because as far as I kne she hadn't.

"Yeah, I thought everybody knew." She said with a giggle, and I had a feeling it was a little too fake. I glanced over at Sora and he seemed to be thinking the same thing. My eyes flickered over to Riku

"Really? You mean never?" He asked one more time, pushing for the truth. Namine just pursed her lips together and nodded. She spoke before anyone could question her further. "Sora, it's your turn."

"I'm going with truth, since Namine's right, you suck tonight Riku." We all laughed at Riku's expense one last time.

"Ha, very funny. Well then I guess you wouldn't mind telling me what you and Yuna have been up to lately, huh?" Riku said. Yuna? Who's Yuna?

"Who's Yuna?" I asked, getting suspicious at the look on Sora's face. He looked kind of pissed, and Sora never really got angry.

"Nothing. Nobody." He said to Riku and me respectively. He sighed and ran a hand through his chocolate spikes, shaking his head. "Look, she's Rikku's younger sister. She's going into tenth and she's got this weird crush on me. She works at the surf shop but I mean, I don't see her that way." He explained.

"I believe him, she's kind of obsessed but he's just trying to be nice." Roxas said. I finally let myself relax. I trusted Roxas, he wouldn't lie about that. Neither would Sora, but considering I didn't even know about Yuna, I started to get angry. I wondered why Yuna didn't tell me. We talked about everything. _Or at least, we used to..._

"Kairi, you wanna go?" He asked turning to me.

"I'll say truth. Do your worst Riku." I said, trying my best not to let my confusion show. Riku smirked and I was suddenly nervous I made the wrong choice.

"Well, I heard a pretty interesting rumor. Is it true that Cloud's trying to get with you again?" Damn, I really should've chosen dare.

"What?!" Sora yelled, whipping to face me. I couldn't help but roll my eyes.

"Okay, would any of you honestly believe that? I don't think he is, I haven't talked to Cloud in who knows how long. And he hasn't talked to me in even longer." I explained. Everybody believed it of course, after all it was the truth. I tried to move the subject on. "Riku, you're the only one that hasn't gone."

"I think we should skip Riku and go swimming!" Selphie yelled, snapping out of her buzzed stupor and running towards the beach. In a matter of five seconds, she dove in and popped back up, splashing hers arms about in the waves.

"I'm with Selphie. Riku, you suck." Xion said, taking off for the waters. Soon the rest of them were laughing and running into the water except for me and Sora.

"Look Kairi I'm sorry about... over reacting." He admitted, trying to look me in the eye. I, on the other hand, was trying my hardest to look at anything but him.

"Well you didn't really have a right to." I muttered, crossing my arms.

"What's that supposed to mean? Kairi you know how I feel about the guy. He's such a dick."

"Yeah but it wasn't even true! Besides, who cares if Cloud ever flirted with me or wanted to quote-unquote "get with me". I'd never actually let him get within two feet of me." I snapped harshly. "But apparently whoever this Yuna girl is has some huge crush on you right? And that's true." I said, getting angry. I couldn't tell if it was the elixir or not but I didn't feel like calming down. He sat there and stared at the sand, a silence settled between us. I felt guilty for snapping like that, but the elixir was definitely responsible for it. My anger was replaced by sadness as I looked a him again. "Don't you trust me?"

"Oh Kairi..." Sora pulled me into a hug and I just wrapped my arms around his torso. For once I didn't care about how my body reacted, I just needed it. I didn't feel jumpy or tingly, or anything. I felt calm, like the contact just settled everything in me and I breathed deeply, feeling comfort invade every inch of my body. I felt his cheek rest on the top of my head and I realized how right it felt to be like this. "Kairi, of course I trust you." He said softly, running a hand through my hair soothingly. "And I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Yuna. I just didn't know you'd want to know about that stuff." He said, his voice trailing off at the end. I grudgingly pulled away from his arms to glance up at him.

"Of course I would. I'm your best friend Sora." I said, smiling up at him. He grinned back at me and took a step backward.

"Alright. From now on, I'll tell you whenever girls find me irresistibly charming and attractive, as long as you do the same. Deal?"

"Sounds good to me." I said. He just grinned down at me and grabbed my hand.

"Well then come on, they look like they're having a blast." He said, tugging me towards the waves.

And if one thing is for sure, it definitely wasn't the elixir that was making me feel dizzy and light-headed.

* * *

**A.N.- Okay so that was the first chapter. I really wanted to steer clear from cliche's but I'm kind of glad I threw in the music because it gives them more to do than watch movies all the time. Now I didn't specify what song Sora was playing because it's gonna have a bigger part in the story than just this chapter. I have a few songs in mind but suggestions are welcome!**

**OH P.S.- The whole portion that was in Italics was a flashback if you didn't pick that up.**

**And I am terrible at Truth or Dare, therefore I am equally as terrible at writing it out and so I'm sorry if reading it was rather tedious because writing it sure as hell was.**

**Oh and don't worry about the other characters, we'll get some direct insight into their relationships and lives in the next two or three chapters.**

**(1)- Gephetto's elixir is like the equivalent to Smirnoff Vodka in this story. If you don't know what that is, then Google.**

**Any comments/concerns/suggestions are welcomed! I love feedback and I hope you enjoyed it!**


	3. Quiet Hearts

**A.N.- Hey guys, here's the second chapter! Something I forgot to include is that just for the sake of time in the story, the "play island" and the main island are the same place, if that makes sense. It would just take a lot to describe every time they left, you know? Also, I'd like to especially thank KittyKat1217 for reviewing! Enjoy**

*****Here's something important. Whenever the story is written in first person, such as "I did this, I saw that. I, me blah blah blah" the section is in Kairi's POV. I will write in third person from any other character EXCEPT Sora. I really like this because Kairi is the main character and because she has so much interaction with Sora, it leaves more to the imagination if you don't know what he thinks. But just writing from Kairi's POV would be boring, so you'll see me write in Selphie, Tidus, Xion and the others too.*****

**QUIET HEARTS (By Amy Stroup)**

**PS- **_**ITALICS **_**are flashbacks again!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts**

* * *

I woke up to my phone buzzing off the hook the next morning. I groaned and reached over to see I had 5 messages, more than half of which were from Selphie.

_SELPHIE: What the fuck did we do last night?_

_SELPHIE: How drunk did I get because I don't remember a thing_

_SELPHIE: Is this a hangover? Please Kairi I've never been drunk what do I do_

**NAMINE: Have you heard from Selphie yet, I'm a bit worried how she's taking her first hangover**

SORA: You better be up by the time I get there or I'm gonna have to break in through the window

I rolled my eyes as I fired back some quick replies, thinking back to last night. After we had taken one last swim, we decided it was best to get home before Selphie passed out on us. Tidus offered to take her home since nobody trusted Riku enough to do it, Roxas had already left early with Namine, and Sora lived the furthest away out of all the guys.

I was snapped back to the present by a knock on the door. I got out of bed and I ran downstairs, quickly running my hand through my bedhead to try and tame it. I opened the door and was greeted by Sora. He was smirking and he held up a bag from Cid's bagel shop. "I got the usual, but I think you should get ready first. I'm taking you out."

* * *

Selphie woke up with a pounding headache and the feeling that her stomach was upside down. She opened her eyes just to shut them immediately as the light sent shocks of pain through her brain. '_What the hell did I do?' _She thought to herself, trying to remember why she was currently at rock bottom. She couldn't remember anything past starting the bonfire and she suddenly came to the conclusion she was hungover. She quickly texted Kairi, verifying her suspicions.

_KAIRI: Selphie, we had a bonfire. You got very drunk. And yes you are certainly hungover. Drink lots of water and sleep it off, lemme know how you feel later!_

Selphie groaned, disappointment seeping into her. She had never been drunk before. _'Well there's a first for everything.' _She thought sarcastically as she stumbled out of bed and towards the kitchen. She got a glass of water and took some aspirin for the headache when a knocking on the door sounded through the house. She grimaced as the sound seemed to vibrate through her brain before she made her way to the door to open it.

Tidus stood at her door, his hands shoved deep in his pockets as he looked at the girl who was shielding her eyes shyly, her features etched with confusion.

"Tidus? How do you know where I live?" She asked, squinting at the all-star through the bright island sun. She groaned and retreated back into her house, opening the door wider to let him in. Tidus accepted the unspoken invitation and stepped in, glancing around as he stepped out of his shoes.

"Well I didn't think you'd remember, but I had to walk you home last night." He explained, scratching behind the back of his neck as he took in Selphie. To be blunt, she looked like Alice. Completely hungover.

"Oh wow. That's embarrassing." She said, plopping herself onto the couch. Tidus sighed and took the seat next to her.

"Sorry. I just wanted to check up on you. Last night was kind of rough." He said thinking back to the night before. On the way home, Selphie had mumbled drunkenly and incoherently the whole way before puking in some bushes and thanking Tidus before stumbling up her stairs and into her house.

"I wish I could remember how badly I embarrassed myself in front of you." She said, looking over at him and leaning back.

"Oh don't worry about it. I'm kind of used to taking care of drunk people." Tidus said with a smile, referring to his jock friends.

"That's right. Which reminds me, why are you here?" She asked, meeting his eyes. Tidus felt suddenly nervous under her stare. "You're a jock and I'm a nerd so technically, we shouldn't even be friends." She said, letting a smile tug at her lips. Tidus felt his own lips curve upwards.

"Well I always thought that the status quo was dumb." He said shrugging and leaning back on the couch. Selphie automatically followed suit and tucked her legs underneath her. "Besides, I always thought you were pretty cool." Tidus said, trying his best to not sound weird or anything.

"Really?" Selphie asked, raising an eyebrow in skepticism.

"Oh yeah. You know when we were kids I was so jealous of your jump roping skills." Tidus said, smirking at her. She threw her head back and laughed before clutching her head. Still, she smiled at him and shook her head.

"Well you had a right to be. I was pretty awesome if I do say so myself." He couldn't explain it, but he was just drawn to her. He wanted to get to know her and talk to her. There was something about her that he had always kind of liked. She just drew all his attention like a magnet. He wasn't sure what it was but he knew this was the start to figuring it out.

* * *

**(A.N.- Just a quick note the only time I have ever played video games besides KH is when my boyfriend forces me to play COD Black Ops and I typically have like a 1:20 kill ratio or something, so sorry if all of this is completely wrong)**

"Damn it Riku, I was on a kill streak!" Xion yelled over the headset as she watched the screen splatter with blood, signaling she was dead. She heard Riku's deep rumbling laughter on the other side as she rolled her eyes.

"Sorry Xion, I just couldn't resist. You were camping out like a noob!" He said, still chuckling as her man was revived. Her anger was renewed and she had a solid three kills in the first minute, letting off her steam. "So, you called an emergency gaming session at nine in the morning because...?"

"Last night! You were there, remember?" Xion explained as her focus on the game softened and she thought back to last night. She couldn't help but get her hopes up. He had looked so relaxed and happy across the fire. In fact, she hadn't seem him look so calm for as long as she could remember. His eyes seemed to have been shining brighter, and he was actually smiling more lately. She knew what had caused the change too but before she could think about it, her train of thought was interrupted.

"You lied about getting to second just to test him didn't you?" Riku asked, sighing. Xion couldn't help but feel embarrassed as she remembered her little white lie in truth or dare. To be honest, Xion had never actually kissed a guy besides stupid Spin the Bottle games.

"Well, yeah. Come on, you're my therapist dude, you should know the furthest I got to bases was during softball season." Xion said, her smile quickly being replaced by a frown. "Besides, you asked it remember?"

"You know you're lucky to have chosen me as your confidant or else I wouldn't have shown you an ounce of mercy." She could practically hear the smirk in his voice as she rolled her eyes- a habit that was frequent during all their conversations. She sighed as the game ended and Riku was about 3 kills ahead of her. She started a new round and picked up where she left off as they waited for the connection to go through.

"But anyways, I was thinking... who do you think he likes?" That question had been the only thing on her mind for the past 12 hours. She desperately wanted an answer but at the same time, she was terrified to know. There were no signs that it was her, but then again there weren't any signs that it _wasn't_ her either. She knew she couldn't analyze it without being biased, so of course she turned to her trusted love expert. Riku had a way of reading people and if anyone had a closest estimate, it was him.

"Xion..." Riku said, hesitating. Xion had stopped caring about the game a while ago and let herself walk into enemy zones, not caring when her screen was covered in blood every other shot. "Do you really want to know my opinion, or do you just want to hear what I know you do?" Riku asked. Xion bit her lip. Of course she wanted him to say her. But the truth was the truth, and whether Riku knew the answer or not, he probably at least had a good idea.

"Riku, please... I just want your honest opinion. Who do you think Roxas likes?" She asked, her heart speeding up at the sound of his name. She had been completely infatuated with the boy for as long as she could remember. Everything from his blond spiky hair to his blue eyes to his mysterious persona just drew her in. She felt like she really knew him, being that they had been friends way before the group even started. Granted, they weren't exactly friends anymore, but for some reason Xion couldn't let it go.

"Xion..." There was an unusually long pause and for a second she thought he had left. "I don't know." She knew right off the bat that he was lying. "It could be anyone." He said quickly, trying to back up his lie. Xion rolled her eyes and focused back on the game, picking off an enemy soldier who had stupidly ran across the ship deck without surveying the area.

"Alright. Well if you ever get a clue, will you tell me?" She asked, even though she knew he already had a suspect in mind.

"...Yeah. For right now though, I'd shoot that amateur camping behind the counter." Riku said before blood splattered her screen. Xion let Riku's lie go, but Roxas still remained in her thoughts.

"Oh, you're so on."

* * *

Namine woke up to the familiar scent of sandalwood and citrus **(1), **breathing in the scent deeply as she felt her senses waking up. The first thing she saw as she grudgingly opened her eyes was the pale yellow wall that lay ahead of her. She hummed contently, feeling slightly well-rested before she remembered where she was. A smile lit her face as she sighed lightly, turning around.

She was met with a pair of bright, shining, cerulean eyes staring at her with an overwhelming sense of adoration. She watched as the corners of his lips flipped upwards immediately, his hand reaching up to brush the strands of her flaxen hair out of her face. His hand then grazed against her cheek as she leaned into his touch. She felt his other arm wrap around her waist and pull her straight against his body, the scent of the boy next to her that she found herself so familiar with encasing her every nerve. His lips then pressed gently against her forehead before her eyes closed in bliss.

"Nam." He whispered as she buried her face in the crook of his neck. He heaved a sigh as he held her tighter, not wanting to let go. But after glancing at the clock, he knew if he didn't leave now he wouldn't get home in time. "Namine." He whispered again, leaning back to look directly in her eyes. "If I don't leave now, I might not get the chance to come back." he said, running a hand softly through her light blond hair.

"That's a worthwhile risk if you ask me." She murmured as she burrowed herself deeper in his chest.

"Nams, I'd love to stay here with you for the rest of the morning, but if your parents come home to this, they're gonna assume the worst even though all we did was sleep in the same bed." He said. At that, she looked up and he found himself leaning down to capture her lips. He felt his heart rate shoot up as her lips pressed against his, soft but steady. Her hands held onto the front of his shirt as she tugged him closer and he felt his resolve diminishing with every second. _'God the things this girl does to me'_

Namine on the other hand, couldn't form a single thought. Her mind buzzed as she leaned into the kiss. To think, after five months kissing him was still like the first time. He pulled away not too long after to her disappointment. She frowned as she watched him sit up and swing his legs over the bed. "Wait." She said, reaching her small hand and placing it on his arm, grasping it lightly. She felt his warm skin underneath as he turned around to face her.

"You'll come back when you can, right?" She asked. She already knew he would. He just chuckled lightly and bent down, pressing one more kiss to the top of her head.

"I'll be back as soon as possible. I promise, beautiful." He said before getting up and tiptoeing across the carpet. He lifted the window and looked out at the dark sky that was currently turning into shades of pink, purple, and blue. He turned back to see she was already settling back into bed, clutching the covers up to her body as she watched him with half-lidded eyes. He smiled at her one last time before slipping out the window.

She closed her eyes before rolling to the other side of the bed- his side of the bed- and trying to find that comforting smell that was purely Roxas.

* * *

"So what made you decide to sacrifice your precious sleep routine today?" I asked, biting into the delicious chocolate doughnut with Paopu icing glazed on top. Sora grinned and looked over at me as we made our way around town.

"Well, that would be you of course." He teased lightly, nudging into my side making me walk off balance. I smiled as I bumped him back.

"So where are you taking me out to then?" I asked, throwing the empty bag from my breakfast out as Sora turned the corner and I followed. After I had gotten ready, he insisted that he was taking me somewhere and that he wasn't going to tell me.

"Kairi I already told you, it's a secret." He whined. I just smiled at his childish complaining. As mature as Sora was, he had his fair share of moments. "Besides, surprises are sweet." He said, shrugging. I suddenly got nervous as his arm brushed mine and his eyes found mine. "Don't you think so?" He asked, his voice full of question. I tore my eyes away from his, concentrating on the pavement and telling my heart to take it down a few notches.

"Uh yeah, they're really sweet. And thoughtful." I said, trying to get my mind off of how I was just feeling. I shook my head as if that would help (which it didn't) and looked at where we were going. If he wouldn't tell me, maybe I could guess it. I immediately realized we were by the baseball fields and the island park. My mind flashed back to all the times our friends and I would come down here. There was one in particular that played as I saw the red baseball dugout, the paint worn and chipped after years of rain and wind damage.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Sora asked. I blushed as my eyes met his and nodded. He sighed and ran a hand through his spikes.

_"Rikku, it's raining! Why are we here?" A young boy with brown spiky hair and shoes that were a bit too big for him asked. There were eight young teenagers all about the age of 13, sitting in a newly painted baseball dugout as the rain poured on the conrete outside._

_"Because Sora, it's almost the end of summer! We need to have as much fun as possible, don't you guys agree?" The bubbly blonde asked, throwing her arms around the two people she sat between. The short-blacked hair girl on her left just rolled her eyes as the boy with spiky blonde hair shrugged out from underneath her arm. He looked almost identical to Sora. _

_"I agree with Rikku, we haven't done anything fun this summer guys." Another boy stood up, he was the tallest one there._

_"But Cloud, by staying out here we have a large risk of getting the cold or the flu." The girl with light brown hair countered, nervously twisting a strand of her hair around her finger._

_"Selphie's right." The boy with moppy sandy hair beside her stuck up for her. _

_"Really Tidus?" Cloud asked with an eye roll. "What do you think Kairi?" He asked, turning to said girl. She blushed, the shade of red on her cheeks matching the claret color of her hair as she shrugged._

_"I don't know." She offered, swinging her legs back and forth. "Sora?" She asked. All heads turned to the mentioned boy._

_"Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to do something. But we'd better make it quick so nobody gets sick." The suggestion seemed to please the majority of the teens. "Anyone got any ideas?" He asked, looking around at the circle of friends._

_"How about Truth or Dare?" Cloud asked, sending a smirk at Rikku. Said girl jumped off the ledge she was perched on and flitted to the center._

_"What a great idea." She exclaimed. "Anybody want to go first?" She asked, looking at her friends like they were gazelle's and she was a lion, ready to pounce. Nobody offered to go first. They knew Rikku was merciless and had a knack for embarassing everybody. Besides that, none of them really wanted to be there. Well, except one person who had it all planned out_

_"I'll go." Cloud said, stepping up to Rikku with a smirk on his face. "Give me the best dare you've got." She sent him a knowing smile before innocently glancing around the circle._

_"I dare you to... kiss Kairi."_

I felt awkward just remembering that day. It was the day our group changed forever. Of course Namine came along the next year and Riku came the year after that, but they were just the original eight. I knew why they left, of course. It had always been a rule, a spoken one nonetheless, that** that **kind of thing was off limits. We had all made it when we turned 12 and teenage hormones kicked in. None of us wanted to cause any drama with all of that, and to this day the no-kissing rule held firm.

Sora was always the leader, and he decided it was best that Rikku and Cloud were "kicked off the island" after that day for breaking the number one rule. I didn't disagree either. We actually all voted unanimously. Those two were always up to something together, and they always wanted to do things that were kind of wrong for 13 year olds to do, like sneak into Atlantica**(2) **after closing hours. Needless to say, we got grounded a lot less after that.

"I still think I made the right decision to this day." Sora said, reflecting back on the incident.

"I know you did." I said. I looked over at him to see he was smiling down at me.

For some reason, my body could not find a normal reaction around Sora. Sometimes, it was just this surge of warmth and comfort. Other times, I'd be edgy and jumpy. I didn't know why. It's like, when it was just Sora and Kairi like it's always been and nobody was acting strange or asking weird questions, it felt natural to be around him. Nothing was wrong. But the way things have been lately, sometimes I'd get nervous that he'd catch on to how I felt and it would ruin our friendship. So of course I'd act unusual.

Suddenly, Sora stopped and looked off down the road before turning back to me, taking something out of his back pocket.

"Do you trust me?"

* * *

"So how've you been lately?" Tidus questioned Selphie. He had managed to get her to sit down and eat a measly slice of toast for breakfast when he realized the two of them hadn't had a real conversation in a long time. The only things he knew about her was that she was at the top of their class and that she was not used to being hungover

"Where should I start, it's been a good five years or so since we've had a conversation this long." She said with a teasing smile as she sipped her glass of water. Her hangover was slowly but surely dissolving.

"Uh, you're right. I guess anywhere. What are you planning to do your senior year?"

"Well, I'm taking A.P. Chemistry with Mr. Merlin, A.P. Worlds Studies with Ms. Jane, A.P. Physics with Mr. Fair, and A.P. French but the teacher is new. I think his last name is Lumiere something or other. The teachers wouldn't really let me take more than four A.P.'s. Oh, and I'm hoping to tour Hollow Bastion's campus this summer. Ms. Jane's father is on the admissions board and she said I have a high chance of getting a great scholarship there." Selphie rattled off the speech she's had prepared since the second semester of junior year started.

Tidus was beyond impressed. The only other person in the whole school taking that many A.P.'s was Olette and Selphie was right behind her in class rank. But Hollow Bastion**(3)**? That was the best university possible.

"That's amazing Selphie! That's actually incredible. You've always wanted to go there." He said, remembering a seven year old Selphie that wouldn't stop talking about how one day, she'd go to college in the castle.

"Yeah, I've worked really hard for this. What about you Mr. Star Athlete?" She asked, nudging his shoulder. "How's high school been for you. I bet girls are all over you, being captain of the blitzball team and all." She said with a teasing smile.

"Well I'm not doing bad. My life revolves around sports though so there's no time for a relationship, not that I want one. The one bad thing about sports is that I don't really have a lot of study time, you know? I manage to stay eligible and it's not like I'm failing. Coach Phil and Coach Herc are kind of hard on me sometimes. But they're great, don't get me wrong. They've pushed me to become this athlete and I already have lots of schools scouting me so I'm thankful." He admitted.

"Wow. The pressure must be a lot sometimes." Selphie said, giving Tidus a sympathetic look. He just shrugged.

"Sometimes." He wasn't going to lie. Being expected to carry the team to a victory could be a lot. Being expected to motivate the team and get them to the championships and the playoffs was even more. And on top of that, he was in three different sports and a starter and leader on all of them.

"So how are your grades?" Selphie asked. She didn't want to pry but she had a feeling they weren't exactly high honor roll material.

"I have a C average." Tidus said shyly. Just as Selphie suspected.

"Tidus, I know you're busy with sports during the school year, but I think I can help you." She said, scooting closer to him. "Do you have sports a lot during the summer?"

"Just about once a week, why?"

"I can tutor you, if you'd like. I mean, I've helped Pence, Simba, and lots of others." She just wanted to help. And heck, if she could take Simba from class sleeper to class officer than she could surely help Tidus at least get honor roll and 3.0 GPA "It'll even be like sports. Once a week." She really wanted to see him do good.

Tidus thought about it. He sure could use the extra edge and the help. Once school started he'd be drowned with practices until sunset. And besides, it was Selphie. He really trusted her not to make fun of him when he struggled with something. He looked over at her and gave a smile and stook out his hand.

"Sure, it's a deal." He said. She beamed back at him and shook his hand. "I've got practice Tuesday mornings."

"And I've got tutoring on Mondays and Wednesdays, so how does Thursday sound?" She asked.

"Perfect. And... uh thanks Selph." He said, using her old nickname. She felt her smile grow wider at the sound of it. "Well I just came to check on you but it seems like you're feeling better. We should catch up like this again sometime." He said as he got up to leave. And he really meant it. Selphie was so open and relaxed, she was so easy for him to talk to and he really liked it.

"Definitely. I'll see you later." She said as she watched him leave. She hadn't expected Tidus to still be so... Tidus. She always thought that all the jocks were all so immature and self-absorbed. Sure, Tidus was boyish, but it was a different kind of boyish than immaturity, she just couldn't quite but a name to it yet. She was just happy to be getting an old friend back

* * *

"So are you going to tell me why you suddenly just had to have ice cream." Riku asked, watching as Xion contently nibbled her sea salt ice cream. She just looked up at him innocently and put on the clueless face.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." She said dumbly. Riku just rolled his eyes. He knew exactly why she told him to meet her at Destiny Dairy. She wanted to know what he thought. And he sure as hell wasn't going to tell her. Personally, he thought it was obvious. He had been suspicious but last night merely put the stamp of verification on it.

"Look Xion, I lied." He received a smirk in satisfaction but he continued. "But I just... I don't think it's my place to tell you who Roxas likes. Or at least, who I think he likes." He said.

Xion hated it when Riku made sense, she really did. She knew whatever he thought wasn't set in stone and she knew that if anything she should just confess her feelings for Roxas already and get the cold hard truth from him. But she couldn't bring herself to do it. She wanted to know the truth, but more than anything she wanted to hear that she wasn't just a love-sick desperate girl with a crush. And she was one hundred percent terrified of not knowing the outcome. She sighed and looked at Riku sadly. "I hate it when you're right."

"But I will give you this. Last night he admitted there's a girl. It's something, evidence if you will." Riku said, being a smart-ass. "You know, you could easily just forget about him and move on." Riku said. He had been fighting with himself for awhile now. The last thing he wanted was to see Xion hurt. That girl was tough as hell, but he knew heartbreak defeats even the strongest people. But at the same time, she was already hurting. In his opinion, love sucked. But was it really love? Riku didn't think so. And he knew that the sooner Xion could accept that the two of them just didn't have the connection she insisted they did, the better off Xion would be.

"I just... I don't know what to do." Xion said. Even her favorite ice cream couldn't cheer her up.

"I'll tell you what, let's go to the beach." Riku suggested, standing up and walking towards his car. He didn't want to see Xion sad, especially over the same thing that had been bothering her since they became friends. "It'll help you clear your mind. It does for me, at least." He said, running around to the driver's side as she slid into the passenger's seat. Xion smiled over at Riku, her way of thanking him. He was always there for her, trying to take her mind off anything and trying to cheer her up. He was like a gay best friend, minus the gay part. He understood her and knew exactly what to say. _You used to be able to say that about Roxas _she thought to herself before immediately shoving that into the back of her mind.

The car ride was silent as both of their minds wandered. Riku knew where Xion's was. He held in a sigh as he felt his heart pang with guilt.

The signs had been building up since they got back from Christmas break. Something was... off. Roxas had started smiling, for one, which was very unlike what Riku had summed up of the broody blonde. And when he came up to Riku one day and actually started a conversation, he just knew something was up. There were tell tale signs on who the girl was every so often when they would slip up. Hell, if he wasn't so good at this shit, he would be just as clueless as the rest. But the nail in the coffin was last night. Roxas had admitted there was a girl. Sure, that helped.

But it was when he left with the girl. Sure, they had been friends for a while, some might even say close friends. Everyone knew that. But close friends did not hold hands, and they sure as hell did not kiss when they thought nobody was watching.

Roxas liked Namine, and by the looks of it, she liked him too. And Riku knew this would destroy his best friend.

* * *

Namine sighed as her thoughts flickered to last night. She couldn't shake the paranoid feeling that someone was onto them. Of course she felt it every now and then but this time was different. It seemed like hiding the fact that she was dating Roxas was getting harder and harder as the time went on, and he certainly wasn't making it any easier. He had managed to make sure they had more than half their classes together next year by sweet talking Ms. Bell**(4) **in the guidance department. He had admitted he liked a girl last night, and she was a terrible liar when it came to Riku's question. They couldn't do anything about it now but hope that nobody got too suspicious.

It was a mutual decision to keep their feelings a secret. They had their reasons, but they both shared one in particular that triumphed over all. It totally went against the group's "no kissing rule" to the tenth degree. If there was no kissing then Namine was pretty sure dating was also off limits. And it sucked.

She loved her friends, she really did, but she would give anything to finally be able to walk down the street and just hold his hand. It wasn't even kissing Roxas, or being able to give other girls a reason to back off that she wanted the most. As stupid as it sounded, she was dying to just hold his hand. It was such a simple gesture, but it spoke volumes.

Besides the fact they'd end up with the same fate as Cloud and Rikku, Namine also was afraid of how people would treat her. She wasn't ashamed of Roxas, of course not. Really, if it weren't for their friends, she was sure they'd be exclusive. But it was the fact that she was, well, her. And he was Roxas. People would think the two didn't quite match up. In fact, they already viewed their friendship as questionable, let alone their relationship.

For some reason, he was deemed "undateable". Namine rolled her eyes at that. He certainly was not, he was just guarded. She smiled as she remembered getting him to open up. And once he did, he never closed up to her again. She saw all of him, even the parts that he hid from everybody else. She knew things about him nobody knew, and that made her feel undeniably special.

And of course, their current situation was just the cliche "it's complicated" status. She knew he cared about her, and he wasn't forcing her to keep it hidden. They both knew it was for the best. Namine just didn't think it'd end up like this. Her thoughts were interrupted by the song coming from her phone as it lit up. She knew it was him by the song. She felt so girly for putting "All of Me" as his ringtone but it reminded her of him.

"Roxas?"

"Hey Nam." His voice was a light tenor and it danced through her ears so easily. She smiled at the sound of it. "I'll be back tonight, okay? I'm picking up Axel today to have a guys day." He explained.

"Sounds good, just give me a heads up." She already knew he would be back at the same time he had shown up for the past month.

"Alright." He said, chuckling knowing this too. "I'll see you later."

"Bye, have fun!" She said through the other end before she clicked the phone to hang up.

Over at his house, Roxas lay on his bead with his hands folded behind his head. It was crazy. Two years ago, he didn't even consider Namine much of a friend, and now she was his girlfriend. He shook his head as he got up and got ready to pick up his best friend.

Axel was coming back from Twilight Town University today and needless to say Roxas was pumped to spend some time with the fiery redhead. But he felt guilt settle in his stomach as he started his car and drove off towards the airport.

Not only was his relationship a secret to his eight friends and the whole school, but he couldn't even tell Axel. Roxas told Axel almost as much as he told Namine, and it felt wrong to keep this from him. But he knew he had to do it. As much as he loved Axel, the guy couldn't keep a secret if his life depended on it. Roxas was sure this one was no exception especially since he talked to the rest of their friends quite a lot.

As he drove up the winding mountains of the island, he let his mind drift back to Namine. He felt so lucky to have her. At first, he pegged her as the shy and innocent, with nothing exciting that stood out. But the first time he spoke to her, like _really _spoke to her, he knew she was far from it. He just had to do a little digging. He laughed, remembering her stubbornness. _'If you dig, I'm going to dig too' _she had said. He smiled as the memory flashed vividly. Her flaxen hair was braided over her right shoulder and she was wearing a white sundress with her tiny hands planted firmly in fists on her hips. He thought she looked cute at the time.

Now, he thought she was beautiful. Over all that time, he began to notice the small things. He noticed the way her eyes hardened and and narrowed as she drew in her sketchbooks, determined to create the perfect picture she had envisioned in her mind. He noticed how her eyelashes were naturally long and blond and that she didn't cover them in makeup to make them longer on a daily basis. He noticed that when she was lost in thought, she'd nibble at her bottom lip unconsciously. He noticed just how damn small she really was. He noticed how she balanced him out perfectly with her soft and gentleness, and he noticed that despite being small, she could be fierce. He noticed a lot of things.

And he hated keeping her a secret. He knew he had to though, he was there when they made the stupid rule. And granted, that rule probably saved him from some very awkward situations and he was thankful for that, but now it was currently holding him back from being able to kiss his girlfriend whenever he wanted. It was the same rule that allowed random guys to flirt with her without him being able to punch them in the face and not have an actual reason for doing it. Most of all, it was the stupid rule that forbid him from letting him put his hand on the small of her back, which was a subconscious habit he did to keep her safe and close. He gave up trying to count the number of times his hand had shot up to press against the small of her back, but immediately came back down.

As he pulled up to the airport and stepped out of the car, he tried to push that all off for just a while. The current status of his relationship didn't make him happy in the slightest but he wasn't going to let it ruin his reunion with his partner in crime.

"Roxie!" He heard a yell from across the parking lot as he saw a flash of red running his way. He chuckled and waved a hand over his head. This was going to be one hell of a summer.

* * *

"Sora, when I said I trusted you, I didn't quite agree to this." I was currently blindfolded and being carried piggy-back by my idiot best friend. I heard (more like felt) him laugh and I could practically hear the smile in his voice.

"Oh come on Kairi, it's just a little bit more." He said. He had insisted that I had to be blindfolded so the surprise was kept up until the last second. After another minute, I felt myself being lowered onto the ground. I sighed in relief and reached behind my head to take the cloth off.

"Thank God my arms were getting tired." I complained, struggling to untie the huge knot Sora had tied behind my head. "Hey, how many times did you tie this?" I asked. He just chuckled and replaced my hands.

"Kai, it's double knotted." Wow, that's kind of sad. "And your arms? I just carried you like half a mile!" The cloth was removed and I could see where he had taken me.

I gasped in surprise as I took it in. We stood in front of a wall on the less popular part of the beach that wasn't on the maps given to the tourists. To anybody else, it was a _rock. _But to me, to us, it was the most sacred and special spot on the whole island. "Our secret place..." I whispered, running my hands over the green leafy vines that covered the small crawlspace. I turned around to see Sora smiling stupidly, standing with his hands behind his head lazily. I launched myself into his chest with the tightest hug I could muster (You try clinging onto someone's neck for half a mile, it gets tough!).

"I just figured since we haven't been here in a while it'd be nice to take a trip down memory lane." He said, pulling out of my embrace and holding the vines to the side. I couldn't stop smiling as I lowered myself onto my hands and knees, crawling through into a bigger tunnel that was at least high enough for me to stand. Sora followed shortly behind, but when he tried to stand he busted his head against the dirt ceiling. I couldn't help but laugh as he rubbed his head and glared up at the dirt ceiling, hunching over to avoid any more damage. I reached over and gently ran a hand through his hair a few times in some attempt to help. "You know, I think this place got smaller." He said goofily.

"Yeah, that or you got taller." I suggested, making my way into the room. I felt my heart flutter with nothing but nostalgia as I glanced around the cave. Chalk drawings covered the wall, documenting our childhood. Sora soon stood beside me, looking around with the same sense of awe. "Wow." I said quietly, walking around looking at everything. One drawing in particular caught my eye as I walked over to it, kneeling down in front of it. It was the one that Sora and I had made when we were rather little and I felt the blush creep into my face thinking back to it.

We had believed in the story about the paopu fruit. Legend has it that when two people share the fruit together, their destinies become intertwined. Of course, most of the island natives didn't believe it. They waved it off as a marketing strategy to attract even more tourism. However, my grandmother always told me that she truly believed it, deep in her heart, and I always felt the same way.

"Heh, remember when Axel told us about it?" Sora said, referring to the legend as he plopped down next to me.

"Oh yeah. We rushed over here and drew this." I said, thinking back to the day.

"We also promised that... one day..." He said, trailing off and glancing over at me. I felt my breath hitch in my throat as his bright sapphire eyes stared right back at mine and my heart sped up. My mind blanked and I couldn't think about anything except the way he was looking at me.

His eyes were different. They were the same blue eyes I had come to fall for but they were laced with anticipation. He was the first one to break the stare and he immediately scrambled to his feet, nervously scratching the back of his neck. I felt my heart sink in disappointment. For what, I had no idea.

"Yeah, uh I just figured I would take you here to kind of make up for last night." He stumbled over his words but I still shook off our... moment and smiled at him. "I know I over reacted so I figured we could make a new drawing, you know?" He said as he shoved his hands deep in his pockets and looked at the circles he was drawing in the dirt with his foot. "Kind of like a new chapter." He said, his eyes connecting with mine again.

"That's really sweet Sora but I think you forgot something." I said, brushing off my knees as I got back to my feet and headed for the exit. He looked after me with a confused expression.

"What could I possibly have forgotten? I got up extra early and called Cid to make sure he had a fresh batch and..." I watched as his eyes lit up with realization. "Really?! Oh my God, how could you forget the chalk?" He muttered to himself as he pushed past me and crawled out of the vines. I gave one last glance back to the drawing before following him after.

"Don't worry Sora, I have a feeling we'll be back here soon."

* * *

**A.N.- Okay so I want to explain some things. It's kind of long so feel free to disregard the following relevant (somewhat important) info if so desired: **

**(1)- Sandalwood and citrus is basically this really manly smell. I have candles from Bath and Bodyworks or whatever and honestly, it smells like my boyfriend so yeah, I wanted Roxas to smell like it. Nam and Rox are kind of based off my own relationship**

**(2)- Atlantica is a waterpark. It's like Dorney, Hershey, Six Flags, etc. Not Disney, because that is the holy grail.**

**(3)- Hollow Bastion is the equivalent to Princeton. Harvard and Stanford are too typical, gotta shake it up. But just think Ivy League, prestigous and what not.**

**(4)- Ms. Bell is Tinkerbell, NOT Belle. Just clearing that up**

**I kind of wanted to make sure that all the different viewpoints would be shown. All I originally had was the morning but at less than 3K words, I threw in the afternoon for you guys. And, I also wanted to make sure you really got to see at least a little insight to everyone's feelings. Sorry if I didn't do so good on certain characters, but all their relationships are developing differently. And I know specifically in Selphie/Tidus and Namine/Roxas's portions, I switched back and forth which is TEHNICALLY wrong, but I like it. Additionally, I'm sorry if it seems super fluffy and relationship-y but I wanted to kind of give insight to the relationships because that's honestly the new aspect in their lives. Like, they've all been friends forever, and of course they're gonna have friendship filled moments but their feelings are new developments despite the fact it's the beginning of a story. I hope that makes some sort of sense. And besides, I tried to split it like half and half so it's not so bad. I'm wondering, is there any specific characters you'd like to hear from?**

**Also I know it's kind of weird and that if anything Rikku and Yuna should be switched (going back to the background info) but like, I just know if Yuna was previously in the group then people would want her back in and to be shipped with Tidus i don't know guys, I just chose two charcters at random that wouldn't be weird to put in those roles like Aqua or something. They're not meant to be significant to the story line after the beginning picks up so bear with me**

**And yes I know the Rokunami (and considerably Sokai) part was more descriptive than the others but that's because Roxas and Namine are already together (secretively, of course) and because Kairi is the main character after all. This arc has lots of SOkai and Rokunami, the next arc will vary.**

**Any feedback is greatly appreciated, whether it's comments/concerns/suggestions or even constructive criticism. I hope you enjoyed it!**


	4. It's Time

**A.N.- Sorry if it was a long week, I recently started two new projects, so I'm juggling all three. Big thanks again to KittyKat1217 for the review! Here's Chapter 3 so enjoy:)**

**TITLE: It's Time (Based of It's Time by Imagine Dragons)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts**

* * *

It was early on a Thursday morning and the beaches of Destiny Islands were packed with tourists. There was barely enough space between the towels and chairs to walk. The businesses along the boardwalk were booming and it was rather calm. The smell of the ocean filled the air as the cool island breeze drifted through the air. However, the peaceful summer image was disturbed when a loud crash was heard all along the boardwalk.

"SORA! ROXAS!"

Said boys had knocked a bunch of surf gear off the rack and were doubled over in laughter before their boss came out of the back office. He had tan skin, clearly a native of the island, and he only looked a few years older than the spiky haired duo. Despite his usual relaxed demeanor, his face was red as he took in the sight. "Ah, guys it's only the first week! Try not to scare the tourists away, yeah? And clean that mess up!" He said, throwing his hands up in exasperation and muttering something as he made his way back to the office.

"Sorry Wakka, we'll get right on it!" Sora yelled back before he looked over at his friend, shaking his head. "Man, we really do raise his blood pressure huh?" He said as he started gathering up the thermal surf gear and hanging it up.

Roxas just agreed and followed suit. "Yeah, I mean did you see how red his face got? Namine always tells me he's gonna have heart failure one day." He said with a chuckle. The other half of the dynamic duo looked over at him curiously and he knew he had slipped up.

"You and Namine are awfully close lately." Sora said. Roxas just shrugged it off and headed to the check out counter. "In fact, now that I think about it, I don't know the last time you hung out with someone that wasn't Namine."

"Hey I spent all of Saturday with Axel, remember?" He defended himself. Of course, he had met up with Namine later that night but that wasn't really necessary information right? "Besides, we spend just as much time together as you and Kairi do so what are you implying?" Roxas asked with a shove as he watched his best friend go red. He knew he had successfully avoided the conversation.

"I'm not implying anything." Sora said, surrendering and turning to help the latest customer. Roxas grabbed a whole bunch of wax tins and made his way to the shelves in the back to restock. He and Sora had been best friends almost as long as Kairi and Sora had been. Roxas saw the way Sora cared about Kairi. In fact, he thought you'd have to be blind not to see it. He had talked about it with Namine a lot actually. He didn't think the group would be able to protest if there were two couples instead of just one, but she pointed out that it might really just drive a line down the middle.

He sighed as he finished restocking and made his way to the cashier again, leaning against the check out counter. As busy as the place could get sometimes, Roxas had to admit there were more slow spots than he'd prefer. He and Sora typically shared the morning shift and found ways to entertain themselves.

"Inventory, check. Only a few more hours left and then we can hit up the Paopu Shack." Sora said.

"I don't think you're so eager to go just for the smoothies." Roxas chuckled. Sora blushed again and Roxas sat down with his hands behind his head (a habit he'd picked up from Sora). "So, you looking forward to that party?" He asked.

"Yeah, Kairi's driving us up there. What about you? Are you going with Axel?"

"Nah, I'm actually going with Namine." Roxas admitted.

"Really? You've always gone to Leon's kickoff party with Axel."

"Well, he's bringing this girl Larxene, she's from college. They're in this new thing at Twilight Town University called The Organization. It's like a fraternity or a sorority except it's coed. She's staying with an aunt here this summer, so he's introducing her to everyone." Roxas explained. Even though it was true, he had had plans with Namine long before Axel told him.

"Oh, gotcha." He said. The conversation trailed off as another customer walked in. "Welcome to Surf's Up, need help with anything?"

Sora was happily greeting the latest customers, a trio of girls that were definitely tourists. Roxas saw them obviously trying to flirt with him, hair twirling and what not, but Sora didn't catch on at all. He merely smiled at them, rang them up and sent them on their way, recommending the Paopu Shack a block down in case they needed a refreshment. Roxas just rolled his eyes. Sora never noticed when girls just tried to grasp his interest or attention. They were never successful either because his attention wasn't up for grabs, as was his interest. His attention, well... it was focused on work. As fun as the guy was, he liked having his job and he planned on keeping it. And as far as his interest goes... Kairi was the only girl Sora ever had interest in.

As Roxas made his way outside to update the sales list, he saw a streak of flaxen blonde hair walking towards him. He knew that hair anywhere and he turned to see Namine with a sketch pad in one hand. She was wearing a sheer white dress over her light blue bikini underneath

"Well well, look what we have here." She said with a giggle. Roxas couldn't help but smile back.

"So, what brings you here?" Roxas asked. She was looking up at the blank chalkboard that took up half the front of the store. The other half was a window and Sora was more than likely watching them.

"Um, I just wanted to see you. I decided to come to the beach on my day off, I haven't sketched it in a while." She said longingly, staring off at the sandy shores and cyan waters of the island. She turned back to look at the chalkboard again. "I was gonna visit Kairi too. Are you gonna do something on that?" She asked, pointing to it.

"Yeah, I'm supposed to write the deals we have, they're all on here." He said holding out the paper to her. "Wakka always complains I make it too... boring though." He said with a frown, looking up at the blank board. Namine merely tapped her finger against her chin until her eyes instantly lit up.

"Here, let me see the paper, and give me some chalk. Oh and hold this. Please." She said, handing him the sketchbook and picking up the paper. Her eyes glanced across the words before she put the paper down and reached up on her tiptoes toward the very top of the board. She drew a line of ocean waves in a light blue before she switched to green and yellow, Destiny Island's main colors and wrote 'WAX: 2 FOR 5" and "RENTALS STARTING AT 19.99 PER DAY" in big, curvy letters. She drew lines in both colors on the sides as a border before picking the blue chalk back up and creating another line of waves at the bottom. And of course she just had to add the dolphin because she was _that _good.

She turned back to Roxas after just five minutes and handed him the chalk. "You're welcome. I'll see you tomorrow, okay? The party?" She said as she headed toward the Paopu Shack.

"Uh yeah. And thanks Nam!" He yelled after her. She just shot him a smile over her shoulder before disappearing in the crowd. He shook his head, smiling too as he walked in. Sora was standing at the counter with a smirk on his face. Roxas just rolled his eyes. "Don't even start dude."

* * *

"Yuffie, we're gonna need a triple order!" I yelled back to my coworker who was working the smoothie station as I gave the customer his change and got the Paopu cookie out of the pastry display case. "Here you go, you can pick up the rest of your order over there." I pointed to the pick up counter that was perpendicular to mine and took a moment to readjust our stupid mandated work cap before getting ready to greet the next customer in line when I saw a familiar face and sighed in relief.

"Thank you Lord, I finally get a break." I said, brushing the hair out of my face as I punched in Namine's usual order. "The usual, right?" Namine merely nodded as she reached for the munny she had in her bag. "So what brings you here?" I asked, taking the munny and handing my best friend her receipt.

"It's my day off, why not spend it at the beach? And I visited Roxas so I came to visit you. Besides, who can pass one of these up?" She said as she took her small smoothie. "I'll see you at the party, okay?" She said, moving out of line so the next customer could order.

"Okay!" I yelled as my blond best friend walked out the door and headed for the beach. I was really looking forward to the party, it was practically all I could think about as I greeted another handful of customers. Finally, the rush ended and the shack was left moderately empty, leaving me and Yuffie to talk about the party. Yuffie was a year older than the rest of us, and Leon was a year older than her but the two had always been pretty close, even back when they were in highschool together.

"Are you psyched about the big kickoff or what?" Yuffie asked me, hoisting herself on the counter. "Cuz I know I am. Leon said this is gonna be the best one yet!" She exclaimed. I just laughed.

"Yuff, he always says that."

"And it gets better and better doesn't it? So, who's bringing you up tomorrow night?" She asked with a giggle. I rolled my eyes and started rearranging the gift cards in front of the register.

"I'm actually a designated driver tomorrow, thank you very much. I'm responsible for Sora but I hope it's not like last year." I said with a groan.

"Oh yeah, he and Hayner totally embarrassed themselves. I remember that." She said, recalling the two who had fallen asleep cuddling on the couch. "So, you and Sora still spend lots of time together, huh?" Yuff pressured, more like pried. I rolled my eyes.

"Yes, we do and no, we're not dating."

"But you like him!" Yuffie whined.

"Not so loud!" I whisper-yelled, glancing around the shack to make sure nobody heard. Yes Yuffie was the one and only soul who I had entrusted with my secret. She didn't talk to the others, she only saw them at parties and stuff so I knew I could trust her. And even after I told her, the only reaction she had was to shrug and say 'That's news _how?_'

"Besides, have you not seen the way that boy looks at you. He'd save the worlds for you. He's probably the type to call you Princess and mushy stuff like that." She said, her face twisting into a funny expression.

"Alright, you're taking it a bit too far. Besides, it's not like we can ever be together." I admitted, taking the cap off and brushing my hand through my hair to let it breathe. This time Yuffie rolled her eyes.

"You and your friends are so weird sometimes. You think you're the only person in your little circle that's got a crush?" Yuffie asked her, swinging her legs back and forth. "I'm telling you, just abolish the stupid rule. You guys made it when you were like 12!"

"And it's kept us together this long hasn't it? Besides, it's not like he likes me back." I said. Yuffie just huffed and shook her head at me.

"You're just in denial, but we'll see at that party tomorrow night." She said with a wink as she jumped off the counter and walked back to the smoothie station. I turned as I heard the door opened and was surprised to see Tidus of all people walk through.

"Hey Kairi, what's up?" He asked as he approached with his hands in his pockets

"Not much, just working. You're lucky, you came right in between the rushes." I said with a smile. "And what are you doing here?" I asked curiously.

"Oh well I was just on my way to Selphie's. She's uh... she's helping me out. You should never show up empty handed and I figured smoothies would be a safe bet. Do you happen to know what she likes?" He asked with a laugh. I merely smiled and yelled back the order to Yuffie.

"I need a regular and another with an extra shot of whipped cream." I called before I turned back to Tidus. "That'll be 6.50" I said. Tidus handed me a 10 and I gave him his change with his receipt. He merely grabbed the drinks and headed towards the door. "And make sure to tell her I said she better not be such a lightweight tomorrow!" I yelled.

"Yeah, yeah I got it." he called back before disappearing out the door.

"Man, I wish I was there to see drunk Selphie." I heard Yuffie say in the back. "She sounds like my nana on Valentine's Day." I burst out laughing as more customers came in. The Paopu Shack was never empty for too long.

"It was a sight to see." I told her before greeting the tourists. "Welcome to the Paopu Shack, what will it be today?"

* * *

"Well, aren't you thoughtful." Selphie said as she opened the door and saw Tidus with a tray of smoothies in his hand. He walked in and kicked off his shoes before handing her one. "Paopu smoothie with an extra shot of cream." She eyed him suspiciously before sipping it, and he was exactly right. "Kairi helped me out." He admitted, scratching the back of his neck as he stood there with his drink in one hand.

"Ah. Well come in. We've got work to do." She said, closing the door behind him and leading him into the kitchen.

"So, you look a lot better than you did Saturday." He said teasingly before sitting down across from her. She rolled her eyes.

"Haha, laugh it up. I'm never making that mistake again, especially tomorrow night." She said with a smile. "So, where did you want to start?" She was a firm believer in letting the peer pick the starting point. After all, they were the ones who knew their strengths and weaknesses.

"Well let's see. Math sucked, history was hard, and science just kicked my ass this year." He admitted embarassedly. "But I did great in P.E. So what do you think?"

"Hmmm. Well, I don't think you need help with P.E., and I wouldn't be a good source of help either. Also, maybe we should save science for last since it's the most challenging. So, it's up to math and history." She offered, giving the choice back to him.

"Let's start with math, because I kind of understand it." He decided. Selphie was secretly relieved they were starting with something he had an essential grasp on.

"Okay let's start with some basic factoring. You learned that right?" He nodded and she proceeded to write down some quick equations. She made sure she had a variation, from basic factoring to quadratic formula problems to problems with no choice but to FOIL. "Here, these are a variety of problems. They're from your basic GCF ones to the ones you can't really just factor. If you need help, just ask." She said, handing him the paper and pencil and taking a sip of her delicious drink. She could really get used to this.

"And you just came up with these... off the top of your head?" He asked, looking up at her. She nodded and he just smiled. "Wow. You're really smart." He said before he got to work on the problems. She was glad he couldn't see her blush and she watched as the gears turned in his head and the light clicked on and he'd scribble against the paper madly, trying to get the work out before it got mashed up with something else.

This is what she loved about tutoring. She loved watching the lightbulb go off. She loved watching the process of how the problem went from a mess of numbers and variables to a simple solution. She just felt happy for them as they got something they had been waiting to achieve.

"Speaking of the party, who are you going with?" He asked as he looked up for a second.

"I have no idea. I was probably just going to head up alone. You?"

"I was going to go up alone too. I can give you a ride if you'd like? I mean, it saves gas and takes up less parking space." He suggested

"Hmmm, that's a good idea. Environmentally friendly too. I think I'll take you up on it." She said with a giggle

"Alright, I think I got most of it." He said, showing her the paper. She took one look at it and immediately shook her head, thrusting it right back into his hands.

"Okay, forget the math. You are in serious need of help. Let me teach you how to write your work without having to write sideways."

After about 30 minutes of forcing him to rewrite the problems in an orderly, legible fashion, Selphie was satisfied.

"Okay, tell me why that was important?" Tidus asked, shaking his hand. It was seriously cramping because he had to write his work out not once, but twice.

"Your work was messy. How are you supposed to know where you go wrong if you can't look back and go through the steps." She said simply, uncapping a red pen and reading the problems over.

"But my work was fine!" He insisted.

"No, look at this. See? The answer is wrong. In your old work, you wouldn't know where you went wrong, so you'd have to guess on how to make it right. But here." She paused, pointing at the new version of his work. "It's obvious that you just messed up the sign. You wrote negative in the next step but you got positive when you did your work. See?" She said, pointing it out to him.

"Wow, I never really thought about it like that." He said surprised. "That's smart." He looked up at her and smiled.

"Thanks, but I think you need to try these three problems again. You have a habit of switching signs." She said, giving the paper back to him.

"So, I was thinking we could move on to graphing sine and cosine." She said as he finished correcting the problems.

"Graphing what?"

"Or... maybe not."

After going over the unit circle, working with radians, and working with the Pythagorean theorems (in the form of cosine, sine, and tangent of course) Selphie could tell she had worn him out.

"Alright, I think that's enough for this week." She said laughing,

"Thank God, I'm totally fried." Tidus said, chuckling back as he got up. "Well, I'll pick you up tomorrow, okay? Eight o'clock sound good?" He asked as he headed towards the door.

"Sounds great! Thanks for the smoothie, by the way." Selphie yelled as he walked out the door.

"Anytime Selph." He said, waving a hand over his head before the door closed and Selphie was left to think about the time she had just spent with Tidus. He was fun to be around and easy to help. He was pretty smart too, granted he didn't have straight A's but his father certainly taught him how to be a gentleman. He showed up at her door with smoothies, and her favorite order nonetheless. It's not like she was falling for him, that would be pretty illogical. She was just happy they were becoming friends again.

Her train of thought was interrupted by a knock on the door. She wasn't expecting anyone so she was surprised when she opened the door and saw who was standing on her porch.

"Xion?"

* * *

Xion couldn't believe she was here of all places. She didn't have anything against the girl, but they were north and south, black and white, chocolate and vanilla. They were completely different people. But yet here she was, on the porch step of Selphie Tilmitt's house.

"You can do it Xi, just knock on the door. It's not weird, you guys are friends. Besides, she can help with this." She was trying to gather up the courage and finally, she walked up to the door and knocked. It swung open to a surprised Selphie.

"Xion? What are you doing here?" She asked, her voice matching the confusion in her voice. Xion couldn't blame her. She couldn't even remember the last time she had been to Selphie's house

"Uh, Selphie... I need to ask you for a favor." She said, staring at the ground as she felt her cheeks heat up in embarrassment. She should've just listened to Riku, this was a terrible idea.

"Uh, sure. What is it?" Selphie asked, opening the door for the second guest of the day. Xion stepped in before sucking in a deep breath and looking up from the ground.

"I want a makeover."

* * *

**A.N.- Sorry for the cliffhanger, I just didn't know where to take it after there that would make a good ending. I didn't really like the title, like I couldn't think of a song that was good so I just chose a random good one I don't plan on using later on. And sorry for the wait, I had writers block for a bit, but then I got this idea to introduce the work places and show some other friendship pairings but then I started two other projects and since I didn't get much feedback I didn't really rush. But the next chapter is all thought up I just need to write it out. I'll try and update within the next week! Again, I hope you enjoyed this chapter it was sort of a filler but feedback is always appreciated. Trust me, it may be a bit dull right now but next chapter, things are gonna heat up and it's going to be a LONG one.**


	5. Classic

**A.N.- This is the most exciting and longest chapter thus far so I hope y'all like it! (No joke it's 11K+ words)**

**Title: Classic (based off Classic by _MKTO_) I used this song because Xion's make over and stuff. Yeah...**

**P.S.- Italics are flashbacks (not like a sentence or a word i mean if there's like a section like the first part)**

* * *

_Last Night..._

_"Are you sure about this Xion?" Selphie asked for the tenth time as she walked Xion to the door_

_"Absolutely. I'm tired of just being seen as one of the guys, you know what I mean?" Xion said, looking at the perky brunette. Xion mentally slapped herself, of course she didn't know what Xion felt like, she was the epitome of girly._

_"Yeah, well like I said just stop by before the party tomorrow, I'll be glad to help!" Selphie yelled as Xion walked down the steps and towards the street._

_"Thanks again, Selphie!" Xion said, looking over her shoulder one last time before getting in her car and driving off._

Xion woke up Friday with a nervous tingle in her stomach. It was the same feeling she usually got before a big tournament. The day of the party was finally here. She remembered last night and she felt the knot in her stomach twist further. She was a combination of excited and terrified for what Selphie might have in store for her.

She had been torn on the decision for a while. She had thought about it a few times but lately, it was all that kept coming up. If she was being honest, she hated the way most guys treated her. They weren't jerks or anything, they just didn't treat her like... like a girl. You could have the same group of guys, right? Put them around Selphie, Kairi, even Namine and they'd be a mixture of quiet and somewhat reserved. But put them around Xion and it'd be all sex jokes and bodily functions.

Xion used to really like being just friends with all the guys, but lately it was like she wasn't even a girl. Girls she knew got asked out left and right, and here she was, never having even gone on a date before, let alone have a boyfriend. She'd kissed boys before, but they didn't count. Stupid games of spin the bottle and truth or dare didn't qualify to her as an actual kiss. And then there was Roxas...

She assumed that she always liked him. When they were younger, she didn't really realize it, but now her feelings for Roxas were crystal clear. They hit her like a ton of bricks in middle school and they carried over all the way to her senior year. If this were any other guy, she wouldn't think twice before just forgetting about it. If this were any other girl, she'd tell them to move on. But this was her in the situation and of course she couldn't exactly be unbiased.

Riku had helped her a lot. He always told her the truth, at least, until lately he did. He'd listened to her talk about Roxas for years. He listened when she wanted him to and gave her advice when she asked for it. He was candid and open, and she admired that quality about him. However, he seemed like he knew something he wasn't letting on.

So Xion decided to keep this little makeover a surprise. It wouldn't hurt anybody, right? She smiled as she got out of bed and hopped in the shower, anxiety and eagerness taking over. She wondered what Riku and Roxas would think. She could already hear the whole "you shouldn't change yourself for some guy" spiel from Riku. And Roxas, well... he was a mystery in itself, entirely unpredictable. But that was one of the things Xion liked about him. She would just have to wait and see, but she knew they were all in for a shock.

* * *

I was sitting on a bench on the boardwalk, sipping a Paopu smoothie and waiting for Sora to finally get off of work. He had taken an extra shift to cover for Neku, one of his coworkers. Knowing the lazy bum though, he'd probably just want to go home and take a nap even though the party was in a few hours. I rolled my eyes, knowing that was exactly what he would do.

The door opened and I turned to see Sora walking out as he noticed me. He shoved his hands in his pockets and shook his head but he still smiled as he made his way over. "I should've known you'd be here Kairi."

"Oh, and why is that?" I asked, standing up and smiling back at him. I couldn't deny that he looked cute in his white polo and green board shorts (it was the store uniform as well as two out of three of our island's colors).

"Because you always find a way to sabotage my nap." He said simply, his signature grin lighting up his face. I opened my mouth to reply but I was cut off by a high pitched voice from the shop doors.

"Hey, Sora I was wondering..." Sora turned around and I got a glimpse of a rather short girl with long brown hair standing right outside the shop. She was wearing the same white polo with the shop's logo as Sora was and I had a very good guess on who she was.

"Oh, hi Yuna." Sora said politely, turning around to face her.

"Sorry, I don't mean to bother you." She looked really nervous and her eyes were trained on Sora. I immediately saw the way she looked at him and I felt jealousy flood my veins. "I was just wondering if you were going to that big party tonight." She asked quietly, walking over to where we stood. I looked up at Sora only to have his blue eyes meet mine.

"Um, yeah. We're going together actually." Sora said, glancing back at Yuna. I turned back too and she looked almost like she was surprised to see me.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't see you there." She said, looking down at the ground. Wow, she didn't even notice me. Nice.

"Yuna, this is Kairi, my best friend. Kairi, this is Yuna." Sora said, running a hand through his hair. A thick awkward silence settled over the three of us as Yuna gave me a once over.

"It's nice to meet you. Well, I guess I'll see you there." Yuna said, her eyes flickering back up to Sora's. I felt him put his hand on the small of my back and push me forward a bit.

"Maybe, bye Yuna." He said before we walked off towards our homes. We walked in silence for a while, until I got too curious. This was the girl with the huge crush on Sora? And she didn't even bother to notice his best friend who's casually standing beside him?

"So, that's Yuna." It was more of a statement than a question

"Um, yeah." He said sheepishly, doing that thing that boys do a lot where they scratch the back of their neck. "Sorry about that." He said genuinely, looking down at me.

"I just thought she was a little..." I trailed off trying to find the right words to describe her

"Focused?" We both laughed lightly. Focused was a nice way of putting it.

"Kind of. Is she like that when you work with her?"

"Not really, she only talks to me when we're closing or clocking out. I try to schedule all my shifts with Roxas though, so I manage to avoid her." He explained.

"She really likes you." I said quietly, glancing at the ground before looking back at him. It was kind of awkward. Sora and I had talked about guys and girls before, but this was different. Maybe it was because we were older or maybe it was because lately I couldn't help but feel jealous over stupid little things like this, but whatever the reason I could feel the tension.

"Yeah, I know Kai. It's hard because she's younger and she's such a nice girl. It's hard to just straight out shoot her down. I want to let her down easy, you know? I mean, I don't know if chick flicks apply to real life but if I've learned anything from them, it's that you don't want to be a girl's first heartbreak." He admitted it shyly and it made him all the more sweeter. It clicked in my mind that the reason he hadn't rejected her yet was because he cared about how it might affect her. Then the guilt seeped in. Was I seriously jealous over a sophomore having some tiny crush on my best friend? Really? '_Kairi you need to get your shit together_' I thought to myself.

"That's sweet Sora." I said, shoving his arm as we reached his house and he opened the door for me. "Just don't wait too long, you don't want to lead her on or anything. That would be much worse. I thought He's Just Not That Into You would've taught you that." I joked before walking into his kitchen. I dug around in the drawers for a spoon and pulled out a pint of cookies and cream ice cream. I tore the cap off and dug the spoon into the smooth, creamy, delicious treat while I turned around to see Sora leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed and a smile spread across his face

"How could I not remember that?" Sora said jokingly, the smile still on his face as he watched me. I just smirked back and scooped the ice cream into my mouth.

"I don't know. I guess I'll just have to make you watch it again." I teased. His smile widened and I felt my stomach flutter as he started walking towards me.

"I guess so." He said, stopping right in front of me. He was kind of close and as stupid as it was I felt nervous or something. My breath hitched in my throat and I locked eyes with his.

Before I knew it, he had taken the ice cream right out of my hands, spoon included. I looked down at my empty hands, shocked before I started laughing. I looked back up to see Sora backing up with the spoon in his mouth, his eyebrows raised in a challenge and I was most definitely going to accept it.

I started running after him, laughing and smiling because being around Sora had that effect on me. He had that effect on everyone, actually. I followed him out the kitchen, back through the living room and as he went to run up the stairs I caught up to him. However, I must not have seen the pair of shoes right in front of me because the next thing I knew I tripped and flew forward. It all happened really fast. He must have turned around because I felt his arms wrap around me as I was thrown against his chest and I heard his body thump against the carpeted stairs.

"Ow." I opened my eyes that I hadn't realized I had shut to see Sora rubbing the back of his head with a sort of grimaced smile and I couldn't help but let out a tiny laugh... then I realized the position we were in. Sora still had one arm wrapped around my waist and my body was flat against his, and his eyes were locked on mine and my heart nearly beat out of my chest. I jumped up like my skin was on fire and I felt my face heat up even more.

"Sorry about that." I mumbled. I saw that Sora was just as embarrassed as I was and I felt kind of relieved for a moment. The tension was still there though, and my heart was pounding so, to risk further awkwardness, I thought of an excuse to leave.

"Um... I forgot, I have to do some stuff before I get ready. I should really go do that now." I said, stumbling over my words and getting my stuff. I'm pretty sure we both knew it was a lie.

"Oh, uh okay." Sora said quietly, shoving his hands into his pockets as he watched me slip my shoes on before heading towards the door. The air around us was just so thick, everything felt really forced and foreign. I knew we'd be back to normal later, but it was hard to shake this off when I literally just crashed into my best friend who I kinda, sorta have feelings for, our bodies were flush against each other, his arms were wrapped around me, and he looked at me like **that**.

"So, meet me outside at like 8 or something." I said with a small smile. I was about to close the door but I looked back over my shoulder. "And thanks." I closed the door and walked across the yard to my house, but I could've sworn he blushed when I said that last part.

* * *

Selphie paced back and forth across her bedroom as she tapped a finger against her chin. "Xion, have you ever worn makeup a day in your life?" She asked, stopping right in front of the girl she had asked the question to.

"Nope." Xion answered, looking nervous.

"Alright, so I won't do too much. You don't need it, but some mascara and lip color could do you good. You're gonna have to trust me and listen to what I say." Selphie explained. She started digging through her make up bag and found the things she was going to use. "Ok, close your eyes. I'm just gonna put on some light coverup. It'll help blend your skin." Selphie explained. Xion shut her eyes without any doubt and she began to brush the light powder against Xion's cheeks. "Hm, we're the same skin tone. That'll be good for the outfit I have picked out for you." She said. Xion's eyes snapped open and they looked up at her with nervousness.

"What? Selphie, I never agreed to that!" Xion exclaimed, suddenly worried she had gone to the wrong person.

"Relax Xi, it's cute. Not too girly, no pink, I promise. See for yourself?" Selphie said, putting down her tools and walking towards the closet. She looked through the rack and found her work of art on the hanger and he;d it out for Xion to see. "See, it's just a romper. I thought you could pull it off. And it's a nice olive color, no neon and pink, like I said. I picked out a brown pair of flip-flops I have because I know you wear those black high tops with everything. And, if you really want, I have a beige sweater that would look perfect with it." She explained, whipping out the paper thin sweater. She looked over at Xion and smiled. "Trust me, with this on, you could get any guy you want."

She saw Xion's eyes flicker with thought before she saw the girl nod hesitantly. "Alright... thanks Selphie."

"No problem." Selphie said. "What are friends for. Now, where was I?"

After about 30 minutes of very carefully applying makeup and getting Xion into her outfit, Selphie stepped back t admire her handiwork.

Xion didn't look like a totally new person, she just looked a little more... girly. Less tomboy and sport chic. The olive color of the romper looked perfect with Xion's complexion, and the whole outfit matched perfectly of course. Nobody could doubt Selphie's killer fashion sense. And, with just a minimal covering of mascara and coverup, Selphie honestly thought Xion looked really pretty. Selphie had even used one of her secret tricks of the trade**(1) **to make Xion's lips the perfect pale pink without using any form of lipstick, lip gloss, or any other gooey lip makeup.

"So... how do I look?" Xion asked worriedly, her hands playing with the bottom hem of the romper.

"See for yourself." Selphie said with a smile, grabbing her friend's shoulders and turning her around to face the full length mirror behind her. She saw Xion's eyes widen and she laughed lightly. "Do you like it?" Xion turned from side to side, her eyes locked on the girl in the mirror.

"Wow Selphie. It looks great! I mean, I still look like me, just..."

"Not? Yeah, I mean, I'm pretty good if I do say so myself." Selphie joked, running a hand through her hair. In all honesty she was just glad Xion liked it. She thought Xion didn't need the makeup, but if her friend wanted it of course she would help her. Xion turned around to face her and smiled.

"Thanks Selphie. I really appreciate it." Xion said. Selphie just shook her head and pulled the other girl into a hug.

"No problem. I'll see you later okay?" Selphie said as Xion grabbed her things.

"Yeah, thanks again!" Xion called before heading out the door. Selphie sighed and glanced at the clock. It read 7:36.

"Crap... what am I gonna wear?"

* * *

**A.N.(That last line break was a mini line break we are still in Selphie P.O.V. This has been a PSA)**

Selphie was almost positive she had broken a personal record because her she was, sitting on her porch steps at 7:58. Yes, she had somehow picked out an outfit and put on makeup in just 20 minutes. She glanced down to double check her choice. She'd gone with an orange dress with yellow flowers printed on it and brown flats. She knew her eyeliner was even, so she didn't worry about that. She didn't have time to think about much else though because Tidus rolled up in front of her street a minute early.

"Wow, you've been early two days in a row. Well, aren't you punctual." Selphie joked as Tidus got out of the car. She gave him a once over and immediately approved his outfit. He wore a blue and white striped polo with navy shorts and white vans. He smiled up at her as she walked down the rest of the steps.

"What can I say?" Tidus said, opening the door as Selphie walked up to the car. She was kind of surprised at this, but it was a good kind of surprised. Not many men opened car doors for girls anymore, especially teenage boys. She filed it away in the back of her head for another time as Tidus hopped in the drivers seat, turned the key and took off towards the other side of the island.

"Well, it looks like we've got some time to spare. Let's see how your summer reading is going." Selphie said, watching as the palm trees whizzed by.

"I thought tutoring was on Thursdays?"

"It is. I just want to see if you've been doing the work _outside _of tutoring."

"Well if you must know, I got up to Chapter four in The Great Gatsby."

"Oh really?"

"Yes."

"Prove it." (Spoiler alert)

"Well, Nick and Gatsby go to lunch and Nick meets Wolfsheim. Nick then meets up with Jordan who reveals to him that Gatsby once knew and loved Daisy." He said. I was about to open my mouth when he cut me off. "And, of course that he has come to win her back." He took his eyes off the road and looked at me, a smirk planted firmly on his face, and I knew I had lost. "You're gonna have to do better than that Selph." He said smugly, turning back to the road again. I resumed looking out the window as my mind flashed through the last ten minutes

_'Tidus Keystone, you're just full of surprises'_

* * *

"I'm kind of nervous about tonight." Roxas heard Namine say beside him as he drove up the island mountain side. He glanced over at her quickly, noticing that she was wringing her hands. He chuckled and set his eyes back on the road.

"And why would that be?" He asked, amused by his girlfriend.

"I just have this bad feeling or something..." She mumbled. He felt himself smile but he stayed focus on the curvy roadway.

"Nam, did I tell you that you looked beautiful yet?"

"Yes, about two times." She replied and he could hear the light tone of her voice. He had worn his black V-neck and white cargo shorts in the hopes that Namine would more than likely be wearing white too, and of course, he wasn't disappointed. Namine's clothes were pretty much white or blue, she wasn't much of a bright colors kind of girl.

He remembered the look on her face when he had picked her up though. It was like she was expecting him to do it. _'Of all the colors you own, you just had to wear white. You did this on purpose.' _He felt himself smile again at the memory of his girlfriend trying to be annoyed bu merely coming off as cute.

"Well, you are." Roxas said, snapping out of it and looking back over at her as they turned onto the driveway to Leon's.

"Are you sure nobody's going to notice?" Namine asked him one more time, referring to their somewhat identical choice of clothing.

"I doubt it. And if they do, they'll all be too hung over to remember." Roxas said, stepping out of the car and shrugging as his girlfriend did the same. Even though it was still kind of early for the party to be getting started, the porch was already spotted with groups of friends and the music could be heard from outside.

"So, you said Axel was bringing that girl, right?" Namine asked quietly. He looked down at the girl next to him and nodded.

"Yeah, her name's Larxene. I haven't met her yet, so I don't really know what she's gonna be like." Roxas said. As they got closer to the house, Roxas felt his hand reach out to grab Namine's only to remember that he couldn't actually hold her hand without people getting the wrong idea. _'More like the right idea.' _He thought to himself. He shook it off and settled for making sure she stayed close as they weaved their way through the crowd.

"Hey Roxie, over here!" He heard Axel before he saw him, which was really surprising given that said friend was at least six feet tall and had bright red hair. He looked over to where the voice had came from and saw Axel waving a red cup over his head by the drinks. He turned around to make sure Namine was still right behind him as he made his way towards Axel.

"Hey Axel." Roxas said as they got to him. He then noticed the blond girl with pigtails. She had her arms crossed and was _scowling, _like actually scowling. "Is this Larxene?" Roxas said, gesturing towards the girl.

"Unfortunately." He heard the girl mutter. Axel just laughed and threw an arm around her shoulders and pointed to the blond couple in front of him.

"Larxene, this is Roxie and Namine. They're good friends of mine. Guys, this is Larxene." He said. Larxene merely shrugged his arm off and stalked off towards the beer pong table. "Eh, she's a bit of a handful, but she's fun." Axel explained, sipping his drink.

Roxas just laughed, amused at the whole situation. She seemed exactly like Axel's type. His best friend needed someone with a big spark, someone like him. Someone who could handle him and who would challenge him and keep him on his toes. And to Roxas, he'd never seen anyone more perfect.

"I'm gonna go get see if I can find Olette, okay Roxas?" Namine said, tugging on the sleeve of his shirt. He turned around to face her, his lips immediately tugging downwards at the corners as he looked at all the people around. She giggled and tugged on his sleeve again. "Don't worry." She whispered with a smile before turning and shuffling her way through the crowds. Roxas watched as she disappeared through the people.

"Alright, I know you guys are close and all, but I didn't know you guys were that close." His mind was snapped back to the present as Axel gave him a weird look.

"Oh... yeah I mean we're best friends." Roxas said with a small shrug, trying not to let the panic surface. He didn't think a party was the best place to tell his partner in crime about his secret girlfriend.

"Are you sure there's not something more between you two?" Axel asked one more time, eyeing him up and down. The one thing Roxas hated about his best friend was how he easily saw through anything.

"Y-yeah." Axel opened his mouth and Roxas was sure he was going to call him out, but he watched as Axel's eyes traveled to the other side of the room and they widened at whatever they saw.

"Is that... Xion?"

* * *

Riku was really not in the mood to party lately. It was the first official Friday of summer and so far he had managed to only leave his house three times this week. He had spent a lot of the past week with Xion and some other guys outside the group, so he couldn't complain. He just didn't feel like being around the whole group right now.

Riku was observant. He knew a lot about the group, and sometimes it'd be a lot easier if he didn't. He had pretty good guesses as to who liked who, and he knew they were all dancing around it because of the stupid rule. His mind flashed back to freshman year when nobody had told him about it and he stupidly asked Kairi out. She had rejected him in the nicest possible way and explained that their group made a rule. They couldn't date anyone inside the group or else the whole friendship would be in jeopardy. She also explained how they came up with it and how it had kept them so close for so long.

He was relieved that she had kept it a secret for him. He was pretty sure Sora felt a lot more than "friendship" towards Kairi, especially based on the back story those two had. God knows Sora and Kairi have that whole cliché childhood lover thing going for them. Riku knew that from day one (he was just a risk taker so he went for it). He also knew for a fact that Xion liked Roxas. Meanwhile, Roxas and Namine were looking more suspicious every single day. And if his suspicions proved to be true, it would tear the group apart. He had a bad feeling this summer was going to be different than the others.

Riku silently thanked some higher power for Selphie and Tidus. He knew that the blitzball star and the perky co-valedictorian would never, in a million years be into each other. And, of course he knew that despite the fact he was always there for Xion, he'd never have a chance with her. He was so far past friend-zoned. He was like, in the brother-zone.

His mind thought through all of it as he drove up the mountain to the party. Yes, despite the fact he wasn't really feeling, he wasn't about to skip out on Leon's infamous summer bash. Somehow the dude managed to make it better each year and the parties always got wilder and bigger. Based on last year's, he could only imagine this year.

He finally reached the house on the mountain side and could barely find a spot in the big lawn that served as the parking lot. He slid into the first one he could find and got out, locking his car and making his way up to the house. He was trying to find someone he knew when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around and he couldn't believe what he saw.

"Oh my god, what the hell are you wearing?" Riku asked. He looked up and down but he could've sworn he was dreaming. Here was his best friend, Xion Black, wearing some sort of dressy-shorts thing and her lips were pink and her eyelashes were thick and long. She just smiled up at him and looked down at her clothes.

"So, what do you think?" She asked. She seemed really happy with it, but Riku wasn't sure _why? _She was perfectly fine just the way she was before. He liked her the way she was. But...

"Xion, don't tell me you did this for him." Riku warned. The look on Xion's face said it all and Riku felt anger boil up in his veins as he tugged her back towards his car. Once they were in a somewhat private place, he faced her again. "You shouldn't change yourself for him!" He whispered. "Xion, if he doesn't like you for who you are, then that's his problem. Changing yourself to please some guy is wrong."

"Oh come on Riku, you're just saying that because you're my friend. You're supposed to."

"Where'd you even get this stuff anyway?" Riku was one hundred percent certain the closest thing to makeup his best friend owned was chapstick.

"Where do you think? I asked Selphie to help me. Besides, who says I'm doing this for Roxas?" Xion said authoritatively, sticking her hands on her hips and glaring up at him. He just rolled his eyes.

"Please, I'm your best friend and the only thing you've had to say about makeup in the best three years is that you don't understand how girls possibly wear it."

"Well, maybe I just don't want to be 'one of the guys' anymore." Xion said quietly. Riku suddenly felt bad. He knew how Xion felt about the whole tomboy persona she had. He was at fault on several occasions for it. And if Roxas really had any reason behind this, Riku knew she'd do anything to captivate his attention and even more if it meant she had a shot with him. And as far as Roxas? Well, he couldn't be mad at Roxas either. The guy was entitled to be with whoever he wanted to be with, even if it wasn't Xion.

He sighed, knowing there wasn't really a choice except to let nature run its course or whatever line they say in sappy girl movies. "Alright, but just try not to get hurt, ok? You really don't need to change who you are, I mean afterall, I don't think you're so bad." He said, punching her shoulder lightly and letting himself smile. Xion gave him a small smile and started walking backwards.

"Thanks Riku, we'll meet up later, okay? Don't forget about our plans tomorrow!" She yelled, turning around and walking the rest of the way up to the car. Riku shook his head and exhaled, leaning against the side of his car as he tried to clear his mind. As if dealing with his own feelings weren't enough, now he had to worry about everyone else's.

"You know what'll help?" He asked himself as he pushed off the car and headed up towards the house. "A drink."

* * *

Xion walked into the house with her head up high and trying her best to ignore some of the odd looks guys were sending her way. She wasn't even halfway to the drink table when Tommy Johnson from he fifth period English class came up to her.

"Wow Xion, where'd your high tops go?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at her while the corners of his lips tugged up into what he was probably trying to make a seductive smile.

"I thought I'd change it up a bit." She said quickly, pushing past him and letting her eyes roam the room. She felt an odd sense of accomplishment fill her as she searched for a familiar spiky haired blonde. Granted, the attention wasn't _his, _it was still a warm welcome from the usual high five she was given. She finally found him, standing over by the drinks table with Axel. She continued making her way to the table, the butterflies storming in her stomach and her heart beating like a hummingbird.

"Hey Roxas, Axel." She said as she approached them. Roxas glanced at her quickly and smiled before looking beyond her at the party. She was surprised that _he_ didn't look surprised and a bit disappointed at the same time because he had barely noticed her **(2). **She tried her best not to let her disappointment show as she turned her attention to Axel who was looking at her as if she had two heads.

"Okay, who are you and what have you done with Xion?" Axel teased. Xion just laughed and pushed him on the arm. He laughed too but he didn't let up like Xion had hoped. "No, but seriously what's with the makeover?"

Xion just grabbed a cup, not caring what was in it and took a small sip. "Hmm, I just wanted to change it up." Before Axel could say anything else, a girl with a scowl on her face and blond pigtails made her way over, grabbed onto his arm and yanked him to the next room muttering something about "beer pong" and "partners". Xion was kind of relieved, it gave her a chance to be with Roxas alone which had been her plan. She racked her brain for a good way to start a conversation with him.

"So, how's the party so far?" She mentally kicked herself for being so lame. She couldn't think straight around Roxas, her brain turned to mush and she blurted out the first thing she could think of. He looked at her, surprised by the sudden conversation but he responded anyway.

"It's okay. We just got here a little bit ago." He said, his eyes scouring over the many heads in the room once again. '_Wait, we?'_

"So, who'd you come with?" She asked, trying to come off as nonchalant as she focused on the rim of her cup. '_Please say Axel, Please say Axel!'_

"Axel." His response was almost immediate and he turned back to face her. She noticed he was acting kind of strange, like he was a little on the edge. She didn't have any time to think about it though because he quickly cleared his throat and smiled at her. She felt her breath hitch in her throat. "So how's the party for you?" He asked.

"It's good." She said, smiling at him. He just nodded and looked back into the crowd. Xion frowned, trying to think of anything at all to talk about. _'Hey Roxas, did you see that blitzball game? No, that's too sporty. Alright, how about the weather? Really Xion the weather, are you kidding? Oh, I got it, ask him about next school year.' _But before Xion could say a word Roxas beat her to it.

"I was starting to think you got lost." And unfortunately, he was not speaking to her. Xion saw Namine walking towards them.

"Nope, I was just talking to Olette. She didn't really want to come after last year but Hayner kind of forced her to. Hey Xion, I like that romper. It's really cute!" Namine said, turning to her. Xion felt jealousy flare up but she tried to cover it up with a small smile.

"Oh, thanks. It's Selphie's." Before she could do anything stupid, she quickly walked onto the back deck where all the dancing took place. She managed to push her way through the so-called dance floor and plop on the wooden step that led into the great big yard.

She felt like Namine had somewhat taken her spot. Her and Roxas were really close childhood friends and one day they sort of just drifted apart. Xion always wanted to have that back, she thought Roxas just needed time. You know, it was the whole teenager phase boys go through. The whole "I'm too cool for girls" act. And yet here they were, almost eighteen, and Roxas and Namine were best friends. Xion felt **replaced. **

There was something about the way the last five minutes happened that didn't seem right to Xion. She quickly replayed it in her mind and it just felt weird. There was something about the way that Roxas was acting that was off. Xion didn't want to get her hopes up or jump to conclusions but she wasn't coming up with other answers.

Then someone stumbled into her from behind and she got a great idea. _'Xion, you need a drink.'_

* * *

"I swear Sora, we're gonna be the last ones there." I said for the seventeenth time as I sped up the road, turning sharply at all the curves and not really caring that Sora was clinging onto the seat for dear life.

After I'd gone home, I'd done a few things around the house before getting ready. My outfit consisted of a pink top that cut off a little higher than usual but I wore black high-waisted shorts to cover up the extra inch. But of course, when I had went back over to get Sora, he was asleep on his couch. So of course I had to wake him up and wait for him to get ready and by the time we left it was already 8:30.

Which brings us to now, where I was going 60 on a 45 stretch of road.

"Okay Kai, I know you're mad but going fast isn't gonna matter if we don't even make it there." Sora said. I immediately loosened up my grip on the steering wheel and went back down to 40 miles per hour.

"Ok, fine. Besides, it's only like five miles away now." I muttered, keeping my eyes focused on the road. I was trying my best not to remember the whole ice cream incident from a few hours ago and the ride had been dead silent the whole way.

"So, are you ready for this?" Sora asked, smirking as he looked over at me. I kept my eyes on the road and just nodded.

"I guess. I mean, it can't be worse than last year." I said, giggling as I remembered Hayner and Sora.

"In my defense, I was under the influence of alcohol and was not unaware of my actions." I laughed as I pulled into my spot and cut the engine, getting out of the car. I took a minute to look over at Sora one more time. He was wearing an unbottoned red and black plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He had a gray T-shirt on underneath and was wearing black Vans and a normal pair of jeans.

My mind flashed back to earlier that night...

_"What are you doing!?" I yelled, whacking the sleeping boy with the pillow I had grabbed. He immediately sat up and started scratching the top of his head._

_"Kairi? What are you doing here?" He asked, his eyes squinting in confusion and his head tilting to the side. He looked adorable but I was so mad that I barely noticed. It was 8:05 and this boy was still sleeping!_

_"What am I doing here? It's already past eight and you're not even ready yet!" I yelled, whacking him once more with the pillow. His eyes widened and he stood up running over to the kitchen._

_"I'm sorry! Give me a sec." Sora said. I rolled my eyes and waited until he ran back into the living room. I just smirked and pointed towards the stairs. "Right, my room's that way." He muttered walking past me quickly and running up the stairs. I followed him up to his room._

_Sora was leaning against the door frame of his closet, one arm folded across his chest and the other tapping against the wood. _

_"What. Should. I. Wear?" He said, emphasizing each word carefully and tapping the wood on each syllable. I rolled my eyes and stalked over to his closet, going through the row of shirts he had. "Kairi?" He asked, and I knew by the tone of his voice he was smirking. I tried my best not to blush as I found what I was looking for and handed it to him._

_"Here. Wear this." I said, handing him my favorite outfit he had. He raised his eyebrows and his smirk widened into a smile and I felt my heart speed up._

_"I always knew you thought I looked cute in this." And with that he disappeared into the bathroom. It was a good thing too because he didn't see the smile and the blush takeover._

I felt my cheeks start to heat up at the memory of it but I shook my head quickly. Focus Kairi. Tonight. Party. Right.

"Well come on, let's go!" I said, walking up towards the house. Sora followed and soon enough we were walking through the doors.

"Finally you guys, I thought you'd never get here!" I turned to see Axel standing with the rest of the group on the other side of the room. Sora immediately began running towards the pyromaniac while I settled for politely excusing myself through the crowd and apologizing for the idiot that just ran through.

"Axel, I feel like I haven't seen you in forever!" I heard Sora say as I got to the rest of them.

"I know dude, not since Spring Break. I bet Kairi's been keeping you in check though." He snickered and the rest of the group laughed along. "Like really guys it's almost 9:30, what took you guys so long?"

"What do you think?" I said, pointing at Sora. The group just laughed again and I took the chance to grab a cup from the table. It tasted like cotton candy.

"Well, I'm gonna go see if I can find Neku!" Sora said before running off. I shook my head and turned back to everyone. And by everyone I mean, Axel, Namine, Roxas, Riku, Xion, Selphie, Tidus, and Hayner and Olette.

Hayner and Olette were really good friends of ours. The only reason they weren't in the group was because didn't want to be. Everyone knows about our little rule and the problem is, Hayner and Olette are dating. None of us would've had a problem with it (after all, those two had been dating for three years now), but they had refused, saying that they wanted to respect our rules and stuff. All in all, it worked out pretty well. They hung out with us a lot of the time at parties and whatnot, and the whole island knew we were close.

"So, did we miss anything exciting?" I asked, sipping my drink more.

"Not really, but something is bound to happen. Do you see the amount of people here? It's way bigger than I remember." Riku said, glancing around at the party. I nodded in agreement because he was totally right. He must've seen some of his other friends because he excused himself from our little group and headed off towards the beer pong table.

"You know what it is? It's all the underclassmen coming in, I'm guaranteeing it." Xion said before sipping her drink again. We stood there chatting back and forth for a few more minutes before Axel said something about some "Larxene girl" and "the dude by the keg" before running off in that direction. Roxas leaned down and whispered something to Namine and they excused themselves and went out to the back yard. Xion then excused herself, leaving me with Hayner, Olette, Selphie, and Tidus.

Olette and Selphie began discussing their tutoring program and Hayner began asking Tidus about sports. I felt a little out of place in the discussion so I downed the rest of my drink and grabbed a new one before heading off to find Sora. I walked through a few of the jam packed rooms but I couldn't find him anywhere when finally, I spotted his unruly hair coming down the stairs. I was about to walk over and ask him about it but I didn't need to because my answer was walking down the stairs. Yuna trailed behind him. She was wearing some crop top and a skirt and her hair was all curly and I could see her eyeliner from all the way where I stood.

At the bottom of the stairs, Sora turned around and said something to her, and he placed his hand on her shoulder and shot her a small smile. She smiled back and I felt my stomach drop.

I wanted to suddenly hide, to just crawl into myself. But I was in a room full of people. I felt the sting of tears prickling my eyes, hot and heavy. I tried to take deep breaths and ignore the stabbing at my heart. If I was being a smart and rational person, I wouldn't jump to conclusions. Especially after earlier that day at the surf shop.

But I was not smart, and I was not rational. I was tipsy. And I suddenly wanted to be a _lot _more than tipsy. So before Sora could see me i ducked into the room and headed straight towards the drinks table. I tilted my head back and chugged the rest of my drink before grabbing another one. I took a gulp of it before heading off to the dance floor on the deck, the place Sora was least likely to check. He was the last person I wanted to see.

* * *

Namine found herself wishing she had her sketchbook in hand as her and Roxas walked along the bottom of the hill in Leon's backyard. The music from the party could be heard but it was soft, it wasn't blaring around them. The moon was high up and Namine looked over at Roxas.

"This used to be a lot more fun." She said quietly was they walked along the small pathway.

"Yeah, I know. I think it's just because we have this huge secret." He said, looking over at her. "Don't get me wrong Nam, I know it's what we have to do..." He said, trailing off.

"It's just hard." She finished for him. She smiled and looked up at him and his deep blue eyes and she knew that it was really hard for him. He stopped walking and turned to her with a sigh.

"I think Axel's catching on." He whispered quietly.

"Well then maybe we should trust him." Namine said. As the time was going by, it was getting harder and harder to hide it. It just felt more and more natural to reach for his hand or to kiss him goodbye. They were getting sloppy, and they were running out of excuses. She knew it wouldn't be long before it came out but she had an idea to buy them more time. "I have a proposal." She said, her face lighting up because she had the best idea.

"Well let's hear it." Roxas said gently, glancing around to make sure nobody was watching before grabbing her hand.

"We're each allowed to tell one person that we absolutely trust and we know will keep it a secret. Deal?" She said, sticking out her pinky. She saw him think about it for a moment before he smiled and bent down and pressed his lips to hers. Her eyes fluttered closed automatically and she stood on her toes, leaning up into it. Before she knew it, he had pulled away and shook her pinky with his.

"Deal. Now how about we go back for a little bit before we head home?" He asked, letting go of her hand and backing away from her. She tried her best not to frown as they made their way up the hill.

"Sounds good to me. Thanks Roxas." She said, looking over at him. He looked down at her and she saw it in his eyes again, that look. That look he got when they were out together. It was the same one she felt.

_I'd do anything to kiss you right now._

* * *

Tidus found himself watching the horde of teenagers jumping around together, dancing and yelling and having a good time. And he was standing off to the side, leaning against the rail of the porch with his hands shoved in his pockets. He would've been with them, but it was only a little more than an hour into the party and half his blitzball team was already slurring their words.

Tidus really didn't like alcohol. It had never been good for him. He tried it once and he hated the lack of control he had over his actions and words. Not to mention, it would put his scholarship opportunity in jeopardy if the party got busted or they had random drug testing at the school and he still had alcohol in his system.

His mind came back to reality when he saw Selphie walking up to him.

"Hey, I thought the blitzball star of all people would be having a good time." She said, a light teasing tone laced in her voice as she joined him against his little railing. He just shrugged and looked down at the bubbly girl.

"This really isn't my version of a good time." He said loudly over the music. Selphie rolled her eyes and grabbed his hand, tugging him onto the giant hill in the backyard. Namine and Roxas were on their way up and they said hello as they passed and whatnot before Selphie plopped onto the top of the hill. The music was still loud, but you could talk at a normal volume where they were now.

"So, what is your version of a good time?" Selphie asked curiously, sitting with her knees tucked underneath her.

"I like to go to parties and have fun, but I'd rather do it sober. Like, all the guys on my team get drunk a lot and I don't get how it's fun to them." He explained. Selphie listened to everything he said and nodded at the end.

"After last week, I am never drinking again." She said giggling. A small silence settled over the two as the music played in the background. "You know, you kind of surprise me." Selphie said quietly, looking at him. Tidus was confused though.

"I surprise you?" He asked incredulously, chuckling at the end of his sentence.

"Alright, let me explain. You're Tidus Blank, blitzball star of Destiny Islands. And from what I gathered about the jocks at our school, the better they are, the more conceited they get and the more barbaric they act. And since you're the best... you should've been the worst."

"Oh thanks." Tidus said with a smirk. Selphie just rolled her eyes and shoved his arm before going back to her explanation.

"But I mean it's not just that. Like, you're also... okay how do I say this... chivalrous than the average teenage boy. You opened the car door for me earlier, and yesterday you didn't show up empty handed. Don't get me wrong it's a good thing. A great thing actually. It's just unusual. Most teenage boys barely remember to hold the door for you when you're standing right behind them."

"Well my mom and my dad always raised to me to treat a girl right. Whether you're dating or even if you're just friends, you never show up empty handed and you always open the car door. It's just the right thing to do." Tidus explained.

"Well I think it's sweet." Selphie said, smiling at Tidus. "And as far as the whole jock stereotype goes, I shouldn't really judge a book based on its cover or its position on the sports team." They both laughed lightly. Tidus really enjoyed talking to Selphie. She was just so easy to talk to and nice. They didn't have much in common but they always had something to talk about. He was really glad they were getting close again.

"Yeah, especially having a cover yourself. You're a straight A student but you're not all work and no fun. You're actually a lot of fun." Tidus admitted

"Thanks. Now, how about we go join that party." Selphie said, brushing off her knees and getting to her feet, holding her hand out to help him. "Come on, I'll be your sober dance buddy."

"I might have to take you up on that." He said, getting to his feet and following her back to the dance floor.

* * *

Xion had never gotten so much attention in her life and she wasn't used to it at all. At every turn there was some guy trying to get her to dance with him, or asking her what she was doing tomorrow. She wasn't really sure that she liked it either. She knew that they were only treating her differently because they wanted one thing. Too bad they were all out of luck. There was only one guy she had on her mind.

And as she thought about it, he came in through the porch. Xion felt her face light up with a smile until she noticed who trailed in right behind him. Namine. She felt her smile immediately disappear as they maneuvered their way through the crowd and headed straight to the door. It was really crowded though and Namine kept getting left behind. Xion watched carefully as Roxas stopped and waited for her. Once she caught up, he put her hand on the small of her back and guided her the rest of the way, looking around at the people surrounding them.

The thing that settled it for Xion was the way he looked at her, like he was protective of her. As they reached the doorway, Roxas opened the door and let Namine ahead of him and with that they were gone. Xion felt frozen in place. She didn't know what to do. She had spent a total of five minutes with him at that party, and she was certain he spent a lot more with Namine. She'd worn this girly contraption and he had barely given her a second glance! And then there was the way he watched her and helped her and looked at her. _'It's the way you wish he looked at you'..._

* * *

I didn't know whether this was my third cup or if it was my fourth. I didn't know if it had been an hour or if it had been two. All I knew was that I was drunk. Blissfully drunk. And even though I couldn't really see or talk 100% soberly, I still felt the stupid jealousy and hurt in my chest. I grabbed another cup (I think this was my fourth) and I clumsily took my phone out to check the time (It was 10:32).

I had managed to evade Sora for a solid hour and I had also managed to get more than tipsy. But I still felt the pain that I was trying to get rid of. I shook my head and glanced around, trying to find my way to the bathroom. Somehow, I found it and managed to lock the door.

I took a moment to look at myself in the mirror. I wasn't the type to get smash-faced and ruin my makeup and end the night throwing up in the flower pot by the door. I could get drunk and maintain a semi-normal appearance, and hangovers rarely affected me. Tonight was no exception and I was thankful for that, but I couldn't take my mind off Sora and Yuna.

The whole thing had been on my mind the past hour or so. I couldn't stop thinking about it. Then I remembered something I really wish I thought about before that third cup I had. '_Kairi, you're the one that drove here.'_

Well, shit.

I figured I had taken long enough in there and stumbled out and I must've done something to deserve bad karma because of all the people I could've run into, Yuna was standing on the other side of the door.

"Oh, hi." She said, her eyes widening in surprise. I looked behind her and realized there was no line before I quickly pulled her into the bathroom and locked the door. "Okay... this is kind of weird." She said, walking to the other side of the room.

"You and Sora... you guys hooked up." I said. I could tell my speech was a little slow but that was literally the last thing I cared about. Her face contorted into confusion and she began to profusely shake her head back and forth.

"No, we didn't." She said walking over to me. "No, he said he wanted to talk to me." She said before her eyes got this sad look in them.

"But I saw you guys coming down the stairs together." I said. Okay, now I was confused. They were talking? Who goes upstairs to talk?

"Yeah, well it was a... private conversation." She muttered. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes before I tried to get more answers.

"What did he say?" I asked urgently. Yuna just shook her head, walking to the other end of the room again.

"You don't even realize how lucky you are" Yuna said, still shaking her head as she walked back to the door, and she opened it, standing in the door way. "I'd give anything to be the girl he wants."

Before I could even blink she was gone. I ran out into the living room just in time to see the short girl making her way to the front door and I went to follow her when I bumped into someone... more like someone bumped into me.

"Well, well, look what we have here." I heard that voice and I almost cringed. I turned around to see the one and only Cloud Strife, the most self-absorbed human being I have ever met in my entire life

"What do you want Cloud?" I asked with venom in my voice, forgetting all about my chase for Yuna.

"What do I want?" He asked me, his smile getting even wider. Man I hated this guy. "Why Kairi, I want you." He said, coming closer to me. I tried to walk the opposite direction but he grabbed onto my arm and spun me to face him, making me stumble in the process (in my defense, my motor skills weren't one hundred percent at the moment). "Oh, and it looks like you've had a little too much to drink tonight."

"Nope, I'm perfectly fine." I spit back, tugging on my arm. "Let go of me."

"How about we go upstairs hmmm? I saw Sora coming down a little bit ago." He said with a smirk and I felt my eyes widen. I tugged on my arm but I just couldn't get free and it seemed like nobody around me was noticing my current situation. He suddenly pulled me right up against his body and I felt my stomach flip with disgust as I struggled to get away from him.

"Let go of her Cloud." Suddenly all eyes were on us and the music had died abruptly, but my eyes were fixed on Sora who was standing a few feet away. His eyes were burning with anger and his voice was deep and low. It only ever got that way when he was furious, and I haven't seen Sora this mad since the day Cloud was kicked out.

"I'm not sure this is any of your business." Cloud said, wrapping his arm around my waist, making me even more uncomfortable.

"She obviously doesn't want to be with you." Sora said walking over to us and ripping Cloud's arm away from me. "Come on Kairi, let's go." He said. And as much as I was mad and confused at Sora, he was the one who was there for me so I followed him towards the door.

"Well Sora, I don't think she wants to be with you either." Cloud said. The whole crowd 'oohed' at the challenge and Sora stopped in his tracks, his fist clenched at his sides. He silently turned around and walked back to where Cloud was standing.

"What did you say?"

"The only reason I'm not a part of your little pathetic group anymore is because you couldn't handle the thought of anyone else dating Kairi, isn't it? You didn't want anyone to be a threat to your little crush you had going on, and let's face it, I was the biggest threat you had. And it's more than five years later" Cloud taunted Sora and I watched as he got angrier and angrier. I knew if I let Cloud go on, something bad would happen.

I grabbed Sora's arm gently and walked in between him and Cloud. "Sora, look at me." I said quietly. He looked down and I could tell that he was more than angry. He was hurt. Vulnerable. "He's not worth it. Let's go." I whispered. Sora's eyes softened a tiny bit and he closed them for a moment before he looked back at me and nodded. I let Sora turn around and started to lead him to the door. We were so close just a few steps away annnnnddd...

"She's a great kisser, if you were wondering." _**BAM!**_

* * *

_Sneak Peek at the next chapter of Wild Teenage Summer:_

_"You're dating Namine... our Namine?"_

_"I think I know who Roxas likes..."_

_"Sora, I've kept your secret for years. Can you keep mine?"_

_"Why is it bothering you so much?"_

_"I feel like the rest of the group has so much drama right now. How about we do something fun?"_

* * *

**(1)- This trick is one I use myself. I take lip liner and outline my lips. Then you color the center of your top and bottom lip. I then use my finger to blend it over my whole lip. Put a layer of lip balm over it to smooth out the color and VIOLA!, awesome lip color with no worry about smudging and no gooey, icky stuff. **

**(2)- Okay I couldn't make this come out right but there are two reasons Roxas is so like nonchalant about Xion's new clothes and makeup. One, he's taken by Namine so he doesn't really notice other girls. Cliche, huh? Sorry. And two, he doesn't think a makeover is like a huge deal. Basically he's more mature than the guys that are treating her differently because he's treating her the same way he always has.**

**A.N.- Alright, I hope you enjoyed that. It took DAYS LITERALLY DAYS for me to write. Next chapter is kind of long too. And it's got QUITE a bit of drama. Oh my gosh I loved writing the end of this chapter. In case you didn't get it, Sora punched Cloud. And don't worry he drives Kairi home cuz he didn't drink anything. The characters did not drink unless it was specifically written so like Xion and Riku got buzzed but Kairi got drunk. The rest were sober. Except Axel but duh that's Axel.**

**So I had a little Riku monologue in here, but honestly he's not a big part of this ark. I'm thinking this story will have anywhere from two and up story arks following through the whole summer. He has a bigger ark coming so don't worry! The main arks right now are Sokai and Rokunami. **

**I know Rokunami didn't have much but it's because the next chapter is centered around them a lot. And Xion had like literally two paragraphs in-between line breaks and you're all probably like "Why even bother" but like, to me as a writer, that revelation was important and I thought it needed to be written. And I didn't have anything else for those three otherwise it'd be thrown in there.**

**In the next chapter, as you've seen in the sneak peek, we're gonna have a lot of confessions. STAY TUNED!**


	6. Secrets

**A.N.- **I know this is kind of late, but this project is literally just a fun side thing, so if you do read this I hope you enjoy:) This chapter is sort of a filler, has some cute moments here and there, somewhat important info, so enjoy. I have the next four chapters outlined so enjoy****

**SECRETS (SECRETS BY ONE REPUBLIC)**

* * *

"I still can't believe Sora actually punched him though. Like in the face. With his fist." Axel said for the fifth time as he sat in the passenger seat of Roxas's car. They were on their way to their favorite diner in the downtown area of the island. Namine had insisted the two have a "bro" day when he broke the news. Roxas had called up his partner in crime and asked if he wanted breakfast at their usual place. Anyone that knew Axel knew he was never really one to turn down a free meal.

"I can't believe you were too busy playing beer pong with the blond girl to notice." Roxas said, chuckling and shaking his head.

"Hey, in my defense it was an intense game. And the blond girl had a name by the way." Axel said.

"Right, my bad, Larxene. She seems like your type." Roxas said. He peeked out of the corner of his eye and watched as his best friend merely shrugged and continued looking out the window. "So, is there anything there?"

"Honestly... I don't know. She joined the Organization at the beginning of the last semester, but I haven't gotten anywhere. She's a challenge Roxie." Axel said, a smug grin flashing across his face. "And I never back away from a challenge." Roxas knew it was true, but he genuinely thought there was something there. He'd never seen Axel actually do anything to try and make a girl happy, so it was definitely a step up. "What about you? I bet you're happy it's summer so you get a break from all the fangirls, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess. There's always the vacation girls though." The two of them laughed as Roxas pulled into the jam-packed parking lot. They each got out of the car and made their way towards the doors of the diner.

"But to be honest dude, you're kind of spaced out a lot lately. What's that about?" Roxas scratched the back of his head as they were led to a table.

"Um, I'm not really sure." Roxas was a good liar. He could lie to his father and his teachers and almost anyone... except his friends.

"Come on Roxie, there's obviously something on your mind lately." Roxas looked over as the older of the two glanced over the menu before setting it down. He looked at Roxas from across the table. "Seriously man, I've known you for ten years. I know when something's up." Roxas sighed. Well, this is why they were there, right?

"Well..." Roxas glanced around, making sure there were no familiar faces before turning to Axel. "There's something."

"I knew it! I totally knew it the second you picked me up too!" Axel said, sending a smug smile at the younger of the duo.

"Would you just listen? Okay, it's kind of a secret. Not even Sora knows, so you gotta swear you won't tell a soul." Roxas said seriously, looking Axel dead in the eye.

"I swear dude, my lips are sealed." Axel even held up his right hand and placed the other over his heart. "Really, you can trust me. Does Namine know? You know, since you guys are so close and all."

"Well... yeah, but it's kind of complicated." Roxas tried to think of the best way to say it. He couldn't just come out and say it like it was some everyday thing, right? Axel interrupted his train of thought.

"How is it complicated?" Roxas thought logically. _'How is it complicated? Well it has to do with her, so of course she knows. Actually, it's all about her!' _He managed to form his thoughts into a single sentence.

"It kind of... has to do with her." The diner seemed silent as Roxas waited for his friend to react.

"Wait... hold on a second..." Axel 's green emerald eyes were scrunched in confusion and he had a hand on his head, trying to get his brain to process the information. He stared at Roxas from across the table. "You mean... you like her?" Roxas felt like face-palming at that moment. _'Okay, just be more specific..."_.

"Yeah, but there's more to it than that." Roxas said, looking down at the menu and playing with the napkin in his hands. He watched as Axel's eyes got wide and his mouth dropped open and he felt the heat surge his cheeks.

"You... and her? Together? Like... together-together?" Roxas merely nodded, feeling a huge weight being lifted from his chest. Axel leaned across the table, his voice hushed and curious. "For how long?!"

"Uh, since Christmas break, at least about that time." Axel's eyes bulged out even more and by that point half of his torso was leaning across the table.

"You mean to tell me you're dating Namine? **Our **Namine? For the past six months you guys have been like... a couple?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm telling you." Roxas said, nodding as he watched his best friend nervously. He saw Axel's face twist and contort as he went through some sort of process until finally he looked somewhat relaxed and happy. The food arrived as he clamped a hand on Roxas' shoulder and grinned at the blond boy from where he sat.

"I never thought I'd see the day. I so knew you had a thing for her." Roxas just rolled his eyes as his best friend laughed and bit into his bacon egg and cheese sandwich.

"Oh, sure you did." Roxas said, digging into his own short stack. His friend just laughed and he finally felt relaxed. Sure, they were still a secret but at least now he had someone to talk to.

"You're my best friend dude, but I'm warning you right now if you hurt her I'm sorta obligated to kick your ass."

"If I ever hurt her, you better kick my ass because it'd be the stupidest thing I ever do." Roxas said truthfully. Roxas leaned back in the booth, breathing deeply and glancing out the window at the busy street outside.

"So you offered to pay for my breakfast just because you wanted to tell me that?" Roxas nodded at his best friend's question and watched as he just shook his head, taking another bite of the breakfast sandwich. "You know what Roxie? You should keep secrets from me more often."

* * *

Namine waited nervously, watching the clock as she thought back to her conversation this morning. She felt bad that she hadn't told Roxas her plans, but he'd find out soon enough. In all honesty, she didn't tell Roxas because she knew he'd be a bit confused as to why she chose to tell this person over anybody else.

Sora and Namine had been good friends for the past year or so. It was weird to think Namine actually had feelings for the guy once. He was too much of a brother now and she just couldn't see him that way. Ever since she had told him she liked him back in sophomore year, the two had developed such a brother-sister relationship. They talked a lot about serious stuff and Sora was very protective over her.

She knew he liked Kairi. When she had her crush, she had noticed the way he looked at Kairi. That's all it really took for her to know. So, she fessed up and told him her feelings, but she also told him she knew about his feelings and that she'd keep it a secret. She was sort of like his confidant, the one he went to when he needed to talk about Kairi. Roxas knew about it too, but Sora had never actually outright told him.

She made it her mission to become closer with Kairi after that, and the two had been best friends ever since. Namine saw her red-headed best friend glance shyly at the spiky-haired brunette when she thought no one was looking and that's when she knew that Kairi liked him back. She'd let the two work it out on their own though, she didn't have enough time to set them up while she was hiding her own feelings.

She was snapped out of her thoughts as there was a knock on the front door. She opened it up to see Sora on the other side. He smiled at her as she stepped aside and held the door open. "Hey Sora, come on in." He walked through the doorway and waited for her. She led him to her living room and sat down on the couch. He sat on the other end and she turned to face him.

"Wow, I can't believe it's already our senior year." She said quietly, trying to ease her way into any serious topics.

"Yeah, it's been five years and Cloud is still an asshole." Sora muttered, leaning back on the couch and crossing his arms. Okay... maybe not...

Namine sighed and looked at Sora. "Sora, we both know the reason why you hate him so much." Even though Cloud was indeed an asshole, there were other reasons for Sora's dislike towards the guy and just about everyone knew them. She watched as Sora just shook his head.

"Alright, I know it was pretty stupid of me to punch him, it's just... what he said..." Sora just trailed off and Namine frowned, feeling sorry for him.

"It got to you." Sora nodded and Namine thought about it. Everyone with eyes could see how Sora felt about Kairi. Besides, they were already practically dating with the amount of time they spent together. She really didn't think anyone would have a problem with them dating. And, if you take her and Roxas, that's at least four of them on one side of the whole dating debacle. What was there to lose, right? "However, as exciting as last night was, that's not why I asked you to come over."

"It's not?" Sora asked, cocking his head to the side and locking eyes with her.

"Sora, I've kept your secret for years... can you keep mine?" She felt like that question was heavy and it sat between the two of them as he thought it over. She glanced over at him and saw one eyebrow raised in that kind of curious yet concerned, kind of way. She just rolled her eyes. "Calm down Sora, I'm not gonna confess my love for you or anything. I have a secret... and I just can't keep it anymore." She confessed, looking down at her hands which were tangled by her nervousness. She took his silence as a sign to continue. She took a deep breath, trying to relax. Once it was out there, it was out there for good. _'Well, no turning back now...' _she thought to herself. "Roxas and I are together."

At least two minutes must have passed before he said anything. "What?"

"We're together Sora. As in dating?" She said, turning over to look at him. He was looking back at like a confused puppy.

"What?" He repeated. Namine rolled her eyes.

"Me and Roxas. Boyfriend and girlfriend. You know, a couple?"

"So... you... and Roxas? Like... together?"

"Yes." There was another moment of silence as she let it sink in. She exhaled a breath she didn't realize she was holding when he finally turned to look at her and she saw a smile spread across his face.

"Wow. Really?" She smiled and nodded. Sora leaned over, grabbing her in a huge hug and squeezing her tightly. "That's great Nam! Dude, he's liked you since sophomore year. This is so great! Wait, I never knew you liked him." Sora said as he pulled back, barely breathing between his sentences.

"Ever since we became good friends... I don't know. There was just something there. And we both tried to ignore it, but we just couldn't, you know?" Sora merely nodded and she figured she might as well answer the question she knew he was dying to ask. "As far as how long, I think it's been about... six months since we got together." She saw his eyes widen once again.

"What? You guys have been dating for six months? How did I not notice?"

"Well, we kept it a huge secret. The only other person who knows is Axel, and Roxas just told him today." Sora's eyes studied the window as he let all the new information sink in. She let his mind process it as she thought about the weight that had been lifted off her shoulders.

"Why did you guys wait so long to tell us then?" He asked, looking over at her.

"Isn't it obvious? We hid it because of the group. We didn't know how you guys would take it. We were gonna wait until next summer to come out about it. Of course, that didn't quite work out. If you think hiding your feelings are hard, you should try hiding a relationship. It's a lot of hard work." They both laughed as she continued with her explanation. "So, we each picked one person we absolutely trusted that we could tell before we tell everyone. I picked you for a lot of reasons. I knew you'd keep my secret, and I knew you'd be happy for us." Namine explained. "And... because I wanted to give you some advice."

"Advice about what?" She took a minute, not wanting this to come out wrong or else she knew he'd get freaked out.

"I think you should confess to Kairi." She said. Another minute of silence passed and she let Sora think about her suggestion.

"Are you crazy?"

"No, Sora, listen to me. With Roxas, Kairi, you, and me, that makes half the group. If we can just get one more person on our side, I'm sure we can get rid of that rule. Besides, I highly doubt Selphie and Tidus care about the rule anyway. And as far as Xion and Riku goes, if the rest of us are on board, why not?" She threw out all her main logical points on why it would be a good idea, but it didn't seem like Sora was buying it.

"Okay, you have good points. But what if they don't go for it? I mean... what if it just breaks up our group?" If there was one thing Namine gave Sora a ton of credit for, it was stepping up to take the leadership role of the group. It was a hard position to fill, and he always went about problems in the best way possible.

"That's true. But Sora, is it really worth your happiness? Or even ours for that matter? Sure, the past few months I've spent with Roxas were good, but at the same time, it hasn't been great. I can't kiss him whenever I leave for class. I have to stand back and watch girls flirt with my boyfriend. And honestly, none of that's even the worst part. No, the worst part is that I can't even hold his hand when we walk down the street together. That's literally all I want, and it kills me. Something so simple makes me so upset. Besides, if our friends can't see past a rule that was made when we were young, then I'm not sure we're all as great friends as we think. On top of all that, we have one year left. Who knows if we'll all stay in touch during college? We're all going our separate ways, right? We only have a year, and I say we make the most of it." She knew the second she stopped talking that she had him sold. He sighed and ran a hand through his chocolate spikes, keeping his eyes to the floor.

"You're right..." There was still hesitation in his voice though, and Namine frowned.

"So what's holding you back?"

"What if she doesn't feel the same Nam?" Sora asked, and she had never seen him look so serious in his whole life. "What if she doesn't... love me? What then?" She was stumped because the possibility had never actually occurred to her. "I can't lose my best friend." He whispered, his eyes finding their spot back on the floor. Namine looked down too, feeling sympathetic.

"Sora, I don't know what to tell you. I understand where you're coming from, but the fact is that risk is still going to be there a year from now. This is really affecting you too, it's obvious. Roxas sees it, and I see it. Keeping it locked away and bottled up is really hurting you, whether you realize it or not. I can't force you to do anything, the choice is yours, but if you just saw the way she looks at you, it'd be obvious that she loves you too." Namine said, placing a hand on her friend's shoulder. She smiled sadly as he put his head in his hands, thinking about his options. He breathed out and sat up, looking over at her and smiling.

"Thanks Namine. You know, you're like the sister I never had." He said, his smile becoming more genuine as he spoke.

"That's what I'm here for. Well, I know Kairi wanted to see you today, so I'll let you go. Just remember that you've got us on your side and whatever you choose -whatever happens- we'll be here for you." Namine said, standing up and walking over to the door, opening it for the older boy.

"Alright, I'll text you later." Sora said, jogging down the porch and down the walkway. "Oh!" He said, turning around and walking the rest of the way backwards. "Remind him that if he hurts you I'm required to kick his ass!" Sora yelled before turning back around and jumping in his car. Namine just giggled as she watched him pull away, waving as his car sped down the road. She sighed and turned around, closing the door and heading upstairs to her studio.

"That didn't go half bad." She said, smiling to herself as she took a deep breath. There were no secrets left, she finally felt free and open. Nothing could possibly ruin her mood.

* * *

Riku woke up to his phone buzzing endlessly on the edge of his nightstand. He picked it up, groaning as he sat up in bed.

"Hello?" His voice was groggy and hoarse, but the person on the other end didn't seem to notice.

"Hey, what're you up to today?" Xion. Of course, she always called on the weekends.

"Well, I crashed at Leon's last night but I got up around seven and drove back down. I was sleeping, actually, until you called." He stood up and wandered down to his kitchen. He was up and there was no point in trying to get back to sleep. He was starving anyway.

"Oh, I ended up crashing over at Yuffie's with her and Aqua, she lives down the road. I just got back down, and I was wondering if you wanted to hang out. We could go surfing, it's a nice day out." Riku looked out and saw the sun peeking through some white clouds.

"Yeah, sounds good, I'll meet you there in a little bit." He said, hanging up and sighing as he grabbed multiple boxes of food and put them down on the table. He quickly ate his breakfast and took a shower, his mind flashing back to the night before.

He really hoped Xion wouldn't be wearing that girly thing she was wearing the night before. And he really hoped her lips wouldn't be pink and her eyelashes wouldn't be covered in that black stuff again. It wasn't who she was, and she didn't need any of it in his opinion. He understood where she was coming from though. He hated the way most guys treated her. Sure, the two of them played video games and played sports together and everything, but she was still a girl. He didn't see her as one of the guys, he just saw her as a good friend who coincidentally likes to do the same things as him.

He shook it off, trying to push it to the back of his head. If he started thinking about that, then he'd start thinking about the whole Porcupine Goldilocks situation, AKA the Roxas situation. It was their code name for it whenever they talked about it in public.

Speaking of Roxas, he was onto Namine and Roxas. It was really obvious that they had feelings for each other. Whether they were dating or merely hooking up, Riku didn't know, but there was definitely something there. He knew Xion would be destroyed if she ever found out, but it wasn't his secret to expose. He'd have to sit back and simple let it run its course. It was just so difficult for him to do when Xion was so oblivious and naive.

Why was Xion so caught up on this one guy, who she's barely spoken to since junior high? What was so special about Roxas that Xion loved him, and she couldn't possibly move on. Those were her words too, not his. She was such a cool chick, nobody would ever guess she could get hung up on a guy like this. The one thing Riku never thought he could tell Xion is that he didn't think she really loved him. She was holding onto a friendship from their childhood that she had somehow romanticized over the years. Either that, or she was compensating for her insecurity by making up this chemistry and unrequited love that -and no offnse to Xion- was just not real.

He sighed, shaking his head. He was getting worse at ignoring his thoughts. He shoved them all to the back of his mind and tried to focus on other things. All these thoughts were definitely not helping his headache.

In no time at all, he had gotten to the beach with his board in hand, and he could see Xion waxing her board on the beach. He noted it was unusually empty for the summer. The vacationers always packed onto the beach, but only a few could be seen wandering around the sand.

"Hey, it's about time you got here!" Xion yelled over to him, waving from her spot as he jogged towards her. She was smiling and Riku smiled back, something that was rare and pretty much only happened around Xion. She wasn't one of those girls who smiled and it looked plastered on, her smile was small but still kind and soft, and for some reason it was contagious to him.

"Sorry, you woke me up. I had to eat breakfast too." He shrugged and slipped his shoes off, running a hand through his silver hair.

"Alright well hurry up, last one in is paying for lunch!" She yelled, taking her board and sprinting into the waves, laughing. Riku smiled as he easily caught up to her.

They spent a good hour or so on their boards, and he had to admit Xion probably caught a few more waves than he did. She was a heck of a surfer too, she could ride just about any wave. Most girls could barely stand on the board without falling off. After a while the waves calmed down and the two of them bobbed along the surf, watching the vacationers walk along the beach.

"Well there's nothing like surfing to cure a hangover." Xion joked, gliding her hand back and forth in the long. Riku realized she still had her signature chipped blue nail polish on that matched the color of her eyes and his lips quirked up. Selphie could change her clothes and her face, but she couldn't change what made Xion herself.

"I totally agree. Did you see what went down last night?" Riku asked. He hadn't seen Xion around much during the party and he wondered if she had seen the fight. He had gotten a first row seat too.

"I was walking in when it happened. I didn't see the actual punch but man, Sora really got him good. I didn't think he had it in him." Xion commented. "Cloud deserved it though. He always pushes Sora's buttons."

"The only buttons Cloud pushes are the ones labeled 'Kairi'. I just don't get why the two don't get together. Anyone with eyes can see how they're so into each other." Riku had known this since the first time the three of them had interacted together. The three of them used to hang out a lot actually. But for some reason, Sora and Riku had always competed against each other. From sports to video games, everything was a competition between them. Even Kairi became a contest. Ultimately, Riku got tired of it and just asked Kairi out, bu evidently it didn't work. Ever since sophomore year, Riku had spent most of his tim with Xion. The three of them hung out sometimes, but it just wasn't the same. Riku got along really great with Sora though, he had to admit the guy was dependable and trustworthy, and those were two things Riku thought was both rare and necessary in a friend.

"I think they're afraid we'd be mad or something." Xion said thoughtfully, glancing out to the blue horizon. "Like, they think if they date it could ruin the group. I wouldn't mind it though. The two of them have practically dated since diapers. It's painful how obvious it is too." Xion commented.

"I don't know Xi, but I feel like everything's gonna change soon. Before long, they'll get together, especially after last night." Riku added, staring out to where the ocean met the sky.

"Speaking of dating, and getting together and what not... I think I know who Roxas likes." Wow. Okay, Riku didn't expect that.

"Really?" He glanced over at her and her hands were tracing patterns on the board, her eyes glued downwards.

"I saw them together last night. It kind of makes sense too." Xion said, and by her defeated tone Riku knew she had gotten it right. "It's Namine, isn't it?" Her eyes looked up and locked onto his and Riku couldn't find the heart to lie to her, so he just nodded.

"Yeah. It's her." He didn't add that he saw them kiss. He didn't need to add on to her heartache. He let it sink in, prepared for anything. He was surprised she wasn't crying, it was a reasonable response to finding out the guy she supposedly "loved" is with another girl. The silence sat between them for a few more moments before she broke it.

"I think I'm gonna tell him."

"What?" He couldn't believe what he was hearing, but she merely repeated herself, sitting calmly on the board the whole time.

"I'm gonna tell him." She turned her head and locked eyes with him as she spoke. "I have nothing to lose."

"Xion, don't. Ok? Just don't. You're literally setting yourself up for heartbreak Xi."

"Even if he has feelings for her, I'd rather fight for him than just give up. I'd regret it if I just sat by and let this happen." She defended herself.

"But what are you fighting for?" Riku had finally just had **enough. **"You guys never dated! You've barely spoken to him since middle school! I'm sorrry Xion but I have never really understood why you're so hung up on Roxas freakin Hart. You're not a dumb girl, you're anything but that! But honestly, it never really made sense to me. This connection that you guys have- I don't see it. And I'm sorry if I'm wrong and you guys had something deep back in junior high, but I've seen them together. The way they act around each other, their body language, they have something Xion, and if you tell the dude you love him you'll not only ruin any friendship you two have but you'll set yourself up for pain. And I'm telling you this because I don't want to see your heart get broken, I really don't." Riku's voice got softer at the end once he realized he just blew up on her. Her jaw was set and her eyes were glued on the beach and he knew he both pissed her off and upset her but he couldn't help it. She needed the brutal honesty.

"Well Riku, I think that's the first time you've actually been truthful with me in weeks." Her voice spat out venom, her tone was bitter.

"Look, I'm sorry but if you're gonna march straight into the battlefield, you can't go empty handed." Riku said quietly. He waited for her response but she didn't give him one. "Xion, I don't care if you hate me right now, I just couldn't stand to see you put yourself out there without knowing all the facts. It's your decision, and I can't stop you from doing anything. Just know that if you do this, you;re gonna change everything." Xion didn't reply, but then again he didn't expect her to. She just turned her body away. She could hide it all she wanted, but he knew his words were spinning in her head. She began to paddle away and he let her go. He did everything he could.

"And Xion!" He called out and she stopped, turning her head over her shoulder. "When you need me to pick up the pieces, I'm here." He said. She got this look in her eyes and Riku couldn't read it. He'd never seen it before. But before he could get a second glance she paddled back to shore and took off towards the boardwalk, getting lost in the crowd.

* * *

Selphie walked up to the huge house that sat on Sunset Drive, feeling a sense of discomfort. She shook it off though, trying not to let herself be nervous. It was just a house, and they were just people, she had no reason to be nervous. Even though the house was practically twice the size of hers and she hadn't seen the people who lived here since she still wore pigtails, there was absolutely no reason to be nervous, right?

"Okay Tilmitt, you're just gonna knock on the door. You can do it." She whispered quietly to herself. She took a deep breath and held it in for five seconds before exhaling and knocking on the door four times. She barely knocked a fourth time when the door opened and she saw a somewhat familiar woman with curly blond hair on the other side of the door.

"Selphie! How long has it been? You've grown so much!" Mrs. Keystone greeted her at the door excitedly.

"It's been a while, yeah." She laughed at the older woman's enthusiasm. That was one thing she had always loved about his mother. Whether it was little league or the high school championships, Mrs. Keystone would be in the stands cheering them on louder than any other parent. "How have you been?" She asked politely.

"Oh, I've been great. I've read about you in the Daily Destiny**(1)**, you're doing so good. Oh, just hold on a minute sweetie, I'll grab Tidus for you." Selphie thanked her and waited on the front step, bouncing on her toes slightly as she fidgeted with her outfit. She wore light wash high-waisted shorts and a red crop top baseball tee. It was perfect for the day she had ahead of her.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Selphie's head snapped up to see Tidus leaning against the wall as he crossed his arms over his chest. He smiled down at her and she realized he stood a good ten inches above her. She suddenly felt very small.

"Wow, I never really noticed how tall you are." She said, tilting her head to the side as she stared at him. It took her a moment to realize she never answered his question and she laughed, shaking her head and looking down. "Sorry, uh, that was random, I know. I just never really noticed that you're like, over half a foot taller than me."

"That's just because you're tiny Tilmitt." He said, chuckling. She kind of liked the way he called her Tilmitt, it sounded so... sporty. "So, what's up?" He asked again, his tone kind and friendly.

"Well, I feel like the rest of the group has so much drama going on right now, you know? So I was thinking, how about we do something fun?" She proposed, smirking up at him as he contemplated it.

"Sure, I'm not busy or anything. That sounds great, actually." He grinned down at his tutor and looked over his shoulder. "Just let me tell my mom, I'll be right back." He said, shooting one last friendly smile at her before he jogged back into his house. He was back in less than a minute. "Alright Selphie, what did you have in mind?" He asked as they climbed in her car. She put the keys in and turned the car on before glancing over at the blitzball star. He looked over at her as well, raising an eyebrow in anticipation.

"How do you feel about laser tag?"

He smiled over at her. "Wow, who would've thought tutor girl played laser tag?" She grinned and with that, she sped off towards downtown Destiny Islands.

It took them a good fifteen minutes to get to the arcade, but once they got there Selphie's body started to buzz with excitement. It wasn't very crowded for a Saturday night, which she was happy about.

"So, is it just us?" Tidus asked nervously, looking around the arcade. Selphie opened her mouth to reply but was cut off by a guy's voice behind them.

"Are you guys ready to be dominated by Team Holette?" Selphie just laughed as Hayner and Olette walked up to the two of them. Olette just shook her head, her hand on her forehead.

"You have got to stop calling us that." She told her boyfriend. Tidus laughed along with them.

"Well you said Oner sounded like a disease!" Hayner protested. Selphie smiled at the couple and looked over at Tidus.

"It's us against them, and we're out for blood." She said jokingly.

"Sounds great. Let's get ready then." He said, gesturing to the entrance to the laser tag area at the back of the arcade.

"Best two out of three, you guys are going down." Hayner said as he raced ahead of them and through the doors.

"I better catch up to him before he gets in trouble. We'll see you guys in there." Olette said as she hurried ahead.

"Your friends are pretty cool. The guys on my team never want to do anything except party. I don't really see the appeal of it, you know?" Tidus said as they walked over to the doors.

"I find that highly respectable. Most teenagers can't see past the weekend." Selphie said. Tidus looked over and smiled at her before they walked through the doors. Olette was talking to the guy in charge and Hayner already had his gear on. Hayner was the only one who had played before, or at least that's what she let them think. Selphie was actually a pro at laser tag. Her family always played a huge 40 minute all or nothing round at their family reunions.

The guy who was working the laser tag gave them a brief run down of how it would go. Each round would be about 20 minutes. He taught them how to put the vests on and explained how they worked. When you get shot the light turns red and you have to go to a station and recharge the battery. You can't cheat because the guns are programmed with the vests and are put on a safety when you're out of lives. Once you charge up again, the light turns green and you're free to shoot. He then taught them how to shoot the laser guns, which was pretty simple. He showed them a diagram of the arena and then they were sent on their way.

Selphie and Tidus stood in front of the A Doors, while Hayner and Olette stood in front of the B Doors.

"You ready for this Tilmitt?" Tidus asked her as they watched the clock tick down to the beginning of the round. She just smirked and held her gun up.

"Oh, I'm totally ready. Are you ready superstar?" She teased. He just grinned and the buzzer went off. The doors opened and Selphie was quick to duck to the right, getting behind the wall just in time to miss Hayner's shot. She made sure her gun was loaded up and looked over at Tidus who had hid on the left.

"Let's go get em'." She said before rolling out from behind the wall and taking off in a dead sprint. She saw Hayner stand up to take a shot but her trigger finger was quicker. She shot and he ducked just in time. She ducked behind a small wall, looking to her left. Tidus was just staring at her shaking his head and a smile spread wide across her face. Selphie felt her own lips break into a grin.

This was gonna be great.

**\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - (MINI LINE BREAK) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - **

After two rounds, it was a dead tie. Tidus and Selphie had dominated the first round. They had each gotten killed once, both by Hayner, but Tidus had gotten Olette twice and Selphie had gotten both Hayner and Olette once.

By the second round, Tidus and Selphie had gotten a little tired and had lost by one kill.

So there they were, more than half way through the third round and it was still 0 - 0. Selphie and Tidus were camped out behind a larger wall, trying to come up with a plan.

"Okay Keystone, we've got five minutes left in this round and we can't afford any mistakes. We need a killer plan. You got any tricks up your sleeve?" Her breathing was labored from all the running but the adrenaline pumping through her veins was enough to keep her energy up.

"Well Olette is pretty winded, and she has a weak aim so she's not a major threat. Hayner's a different story. I think I have a plan though. If you can cover me, I think I can pick her off. She's useless while she's getting recharged. I say we wait for the clock to hit two and a half and go. That's Phase One."

"What's Phase Two?" She asked, keeping her eyes focused out on the arena. She saw Hayner's blond hair peeking up from a blockade. He didn't seem to be on the move. He seemed to be waiting for one of them to make the first move

"Phase Two is taking Hayner out. We'll double team him, we just gotta keep an eye out for Olette and make sure she doesn't take one of us out, which is why we should wait to start."

"Okay, sounds like a plan but how exactly are we gonna take Hayner out?" She asked, looking up at the clock. It read 3:10. Tidus looked up too and they locked eyes. They were both breathing heavily, but they each couldn't help but smile as they looked at their partner.

"Just follow my lead." Tidus said. Selphie kept her eyes focused on Olette, who walked out from the wall Hayner was hiding behind and quickly dodged to the one two down from it. Selphie turned back around and made eye contact with Tidus. He just nodded, letting her know he saw. Selphie looked up at the countdown and it had moved to 2:30. She looked over at Tidus and nodded, aiming her gun over the blockade to cover.

Tidus quickly and stealthily dodged between the blockade's unnoticed, hiding behind the one closest to Olette. Before Hayner could ready his gun, Tidus had jumped up and gotten an overhead shot. The buzz that went off told Selphie that Tidus's shot was successful. She watched him dive back behind a blockade and glanced up at the clock. 1:50.

Tidus made eye contact with her and waved her towards him. Slowly and sneakily, she made her way to the blockade besides his.

Tidus crawled close and peeked out, making sure Hayner wasn't on the move. He appeared to have stopped Olette and the two were probably strategizing.

"Listen, we can't both run for him, he could take us both down. After it hits 1:00, I'm gonna run out. Wait three seconds, no more and no less. Cover me and when I get close enough for Hayner to see me, he'll get ready to shoot, I'll drop down and you jump off me and get an air shot on him."

"What? You want me to do an airshot?" Selphie could roll and cartwheel he way out of close calls but an air shot? She'd never done one. It would hurt, but the badass factor of getting the last kill, and with a trick like that? Absolutely killer.

"Come on Selph, I believe in you." The clock read 1:05. "Get ready." He gave her one last reassuring glance before peeking out. Hayner had moved over one blockade closer to us. The clock was already at :50. He nodded and got out, running quietly closer to Hayner. Hayner didn't seem to notice the invasion. He was looking over at the blockade Tidus had just left, getting ready to sneak in on an attack. After three seconds, Selphie took off in a sprint. Hayner looked up to see Tidus and got his gun ready to fire but it was one second too late. Tidus dropped to his knees and Selphie had launched off of him before Hayner could realize and Hayner shot straight ahead, missing anybody. Selphie flew over the barricade and shot Hayner right where his heart would be before tucking into a ball and rolling out of the dive. The buzzer went off and she shot up, pumping her arms in victory. Tidus stood up as the lights flashed on and the final score of 2-1 came up on the clock.

"Yes! We did it!" Selphie yelled, running over to Tidus. Her partner hugged her and picked her up.

"Wow, that was amazing." He said before setting her down. The four of them walked out the doors to the first area where they returned their gear.

"I can't believe we lost!" Hayner pouted, hanging up his gear as he sulked. Olette just laughed and smiled over at the winning team.

"That last play was genius." She complimented as the four of them hung up their gear and walked out of the area. The arcade had filled up in the hour they had spent playing the game.

"Tidus thought of it, actually." Selphie said, looking at her partner.

"But Selphie made it possible. When I said an air kill I thought she was gonna jump over the barricade but she practically dove over it." Tidus said as they walked out the arcade doors.

"Hey, if you're gonna do something, do it with style." She joked. The four of them laughed and stood outside the entrance.

"You guys were worthy competitors." Hayner said, smiling over at the two of them before pointing down the street. "Well, we parked down this way so we'll catch up with you guys later!" He said. Olette waved and the two of them joined hands as they walked down the sidewalk. Tidus and Selphie turned and walked towards were they she had parked.

"I honestly haven't had that much fun in a while." Tidus said as they climbed into the car.

"I know, right? I just think the others have some things to sort out lately, but it was nice to just hang out with friends and do something like that." Selphie said as she pulled out and sped back towards the coast.

"You know what? I kind of don't want it to end. Have you ever had those days?" Tidus asked, glancing over at her. She nodded and kept her eyes focused on the road.

"It doesn't have to. We can get pizza if you want?" Her eyes flickered to the right for a second and she saw Tidus nodding.

"Actually that sounds great. Oh, and especially because I have something to tell you. I meant to tell you last night but I forgot." He said absent-mindedly.

"It's not bad or anything, right?" She asked, laughing lightly as she pulled into Pluto's Pizzeria.

"Nah, it's nothing like that. I just have this athletic training camp. I leave tomorrow and I'm not sure when I'll be back. Coach Herc is going too, he works as an athletic trainer for stuff like this during the summer. He said we should be back by Wednesday but if we get delayed or hit traffic, we might get back Thursday night."

"Ah, and Thursday's are our tutoring sessions." Selphie said.

"Yeah, but I was gonna get your number so I could text you while I'm there." Tidus explained as they walked in and sat at one of the booths closest to the door.

"Like you mean to let me know if you'll be back for it or not?"

"Well, that and because I like talking to you." Tidus shrugged and looked up at her

"Really?"

Tidus smiled and laughed. "I'd like to think we're kind of friends now, of course I like talking to you." He said. Selphie smiled over at the blonde boy and she was happier than she'd been in a long time.

"I guess you're right because people don't typically let just anyone jump off their back and do a badass kill shot." Selphie teased as the waiter came up. The two of them laughed and Selphie just knew that this wasn't just a temporary thing. Tidus was officially her friend now, and she had a feeling it was going to stay that way.

* * *

I got absolutely nothing done that Saturday. In my defense, I had a lot on my mind with everything that happened the night before. It was literally all I could think about. And by the time it was ten o'clock at night, my head was just about ready to explode. I was just so confused about everything.

I should've known Sora wouldn't lie to me about Yuna. It made a ton of sense that he was simply letting her down gently in private, but it's not like I was in a fully capable mental state. Alcohol had started affecting me, so I was a bit less logical. Needless to say I felt unbelievably stupid for jumping to conclusions and getting jealous, which in turn had led to my drunkenness.

Then there was what Yuna said, of course. _'I'd do anything to be the girl that he wants'. _I know what she meant by that. Sora had feelings for someone, and they obviously weren't for her. I wanted more than anything to believe that Sora had told her he had some sort of feelings for me, but I knew that was just dreaming. I couldn't afford to get my hopes up like that. If I let myself think that's what Yuna meant and it turned out to be wrong, I'd be devastated. So I tried to ignore it the best I could.

Then there was what Cloud had said. I really didn't understand why Cloud felt the need to push Sora. Everyone can see how much Sora dislikes him, it's pretty obvious yet that dumbass just gets something out of making Sora him angry. And he just had to resort to the one thing he knew would set Sora off.

And then there was the way Sora had just exploded. It was so out of character for him. Lately, Sora wasn't really himself. He's been way more serious and short tempered than I could remember him ever being. And I had known him for a long time... it really wasn't like him. I knew Cloud was a touchy subject and the the douchebag himself really got under Sora's skin, but Sora had always been the clear minded one. He'd always been the one to think before acting, and last night was clearly not his shining moment. My mind flashed back to what had happened after the little incident...

_*FLASHBACK*_

_I watched as Sora's fist connected with Cloud's nose, sending his face sideways. Cloud cursed loudly and his fands flew to his nose. Rikku happened to run up at that time, bending over him and asking him if he was okay (he obviously wasn't). I stood there, frozen, trying to comprehend what just happened when Sora turned around and walked out, slamming the door behind him. I looked up and locked eyes with Tidus. Him and Selphie gave me worried looks but I nodded and ran after Sora, making a mental note to text them later._

_By the time I was outside, Sora was halfway to the lot of cars in the yard and I had to jog to catch up with him._

_"Hey, Sora, wait up! Okay?" I yelled. He stopped walking, giving me the chance to catch up to him. I put a hand on his shoulder as I walked in front of him. His eyes were closed and he was looking at the ground. I looked down to see his hands weren't in fists, which could only mean one thing._

_"I fucked up, didn't I?" He felt guilty. It was just confirmed when he looked up at me and I saw his eyes, regret written across his face._

_"Hey, he had it coming okay? Don't worry Sora, I'm sure nobody thinks any differently of you. Now hos about you drive us home and I'll try and get your mind off it. I may have had one too many, and it'll help distract you." I said, smiling up at him. I tossed him my keys and climbed into the passenger side, watching as he sat in the driver's seat and he sped off towards our street._

_"I'm sorry Kai. It's just I'm usually so..."_

_"Calm, cool, collected?" I teased, watching as we drove past palm trees and power lines. He chuckled and I noticed his voice was deep and soothing. I also noticed my eyelids felt really heavy._

_"Yeah, something like that." He sounded like his mind was far off and he was thinking. I wanted to talk to him, keep his mind off everything, but I just couldn't keep my eyes open. I yawned and leaned my head against the window, resting my eyes a little._

_"What made you go off anyways?" My voice was slow and quiet but I was awake, right? I thought I was, but I really don't remember what he said afterwards. I drifted off and I couldn't tell if I heard it right since I was a bit tipsy and half asleep, but I could've swore I heard him say:_

_"You should know Kai."_

_*FLASHBACK*_

There was only one thing that could clear my mind. I sighed and threw on one of the many hoodies Sora had left at my house and made my way out to the back deck, sprawling myself out on one of the lounge chairs. I played the playlist I had made specifically for these occasions (the volume was low so I wouldn't wake the neighbors) and laid back, looking up at the vast expanse of stars that scattered the night sky.

I spent a lot of nights stargazing. It was just relaxing to look at the stars and it really got my mind off of almost anything that was bothering me. Sometimes I'd even fall asleep, my eyes wandering the darkness and I'd wake up to the sun rising. When I looked at the stars, it reminded me that the universe is huge and I am just one person in the middle of it. If I am just one microscopic piece of the big picture, then my problems can't be nearly as big and bad as they seem.

"I knew I'd find you out here." I heard his voice and I sat up, trying my best to ignore when my stomach jumped and my heart sped up. I smiled as I saw him leaning against the rail, his arms crossed against his chest and wearing that stupid smile.

"Hey Sora." I said, patting the seat next to me. He walked over, plopping down next to me. He kept his head turned to me and I felt my cheeks heat up as I glanced back up at the sky. "What's up?" I asked, trying my best to ignore the jittery feeling that was spreading through my body.

"Have you ever had a day where you just couldn't stop thinking about something? Something that you really want to stop thinking about more than anything but you just-"

"Can't?" I cut him off, looking over at him. I met his eyes and I almost laughed because _how ironic. _He nodded and I sighed, sitting up and as I brought my feet on the chair, hugging my knees to my chest. "Trust me, I know exactly what you mean." There was a moment of silence as we both glanced up at the stars again. The music played softly in the background and I thought back to all the nights Sora had laid out here with me.

"Hey Kai... I can tell you anything, right?" I tore my eyes away from the sky to look over at him. He kept his eyes trained on the stars, but I could tell he was nervous by the way his fingers were tapping and twitching against each other. I ignored the thought in the back of my hed that noted how cute his habit was and answered his question.

"Of course Sora. What kind of question is that?" I teased. His eyes met mine and there was just... something different about them. They were the same shade of blue they'd always been, but something had changed.

"Can you promise that no matter what, you'd never let anything change our friendship?" He asked, his eyes staring right back into mine. Sora wasn't one to be serious, so when he was I knew he really meant it. The thing was, lately he was always serious.

"I'd never let anything come between us." I said truthfully. I was worried about where this was going. The way he was acting really wasn't his usual self, so there was definitely something on his mind. His face was still twisted in doubt though. "Sora," I said, turning my body fully in his direction. "You're my best friend." I said quietly. I resisted every urge to look down at the ground. It was true, we were best friends. But you're not supposed to fall in love with your best friend.

Sora looked down at the ground, and I knew I must have somehow said the wrong thing. "I know Kai... I should go though. It's late." He said, standing up and walking towards the steps. So that was it? Just get all deep and personal and then just leave?

"Wait!" I yelled, jumping out of my seat and grabbing his arm. "What's up with you lately?" I asked, turning him to face me.

"What are you talking about?" He knew I wasn't buying it.

"Come on, really? You just asked me if you can tell me anything, and you just asked me if I'd ever let anything jeopardize our friendship, and now you're gonna leave? Just like that?" I asked, crossing my arms. I had been patient with this boy and given him one too many chances. "You obviously wanted to tell me something that you thought I would take badly."

"Kairi, can you just drop it?" He asked, looking anywhere but at me directly.

"No, I can't. I've let it go for the past few weeks but I've had enough. If this has anything to do with what Yuna told me yesterday the-"

"What did she say to you?" He asked, cutting me off and his voice jumping up quickly. I raised an eyebrow at him and uncrossed my arms, putting my hands on my hips.

"Does that really matter?" I asked.

"Please, just tell me."

"She said 'I'd do anything to be the girl he wants'. I have no clue what that means, but I'm guessing you have feelings for someone." I said, looking down at the floor. "Look, Sora..." I said, trying to find the will to actually say the bullshit lie I had formed in my thoughts. "It's great. I don't need to know who. Okay? I just wish you would've told me. As long as she makes you happy... I don't care." It sounded so fake and I knew the smile looked forced but it was the best I could do. And he bought it. He gave me a sad smile and ran a hand through his hair.

"I'm sorry Kai. I gotta go." And with that he left. And I watched him. And the whole time I just kept telling myself _'You can cry when you get inside'._

* * *

**A.N. - Just a quick heads up, I'll probably revise some of the earlier chapters. I didn't mean for Xion to come off the way she has, and I have tried to fix it the past two chapters, but mostly in this one. And I kind of want to put in a Riku X Kairi X Sora friendship. I know it's an AU and **_**technically **_**I can do whatever, but it's such a key part to the whole thing you know? So I might write the sixth chapter then revise, I might finish the arc and revise, or I might just revise then continue on. We shall see. Anyways, next chapter is gonna be HUGE so stay tuned! Any feedback would be lovely, thanks for reading!**


	7. A Drop in the Ocean

**A.N.- Well, a snowday for me means an update for you guys! Thank you to **_Anatoria, The Witch Namine, _**and **_twirlingdevine _**for your awesome reviews! They made my week. I hope you all enjoy! I named this chapter because that's the song I listened to while I wrote my favorite scene (I'll give you guys a hint when it comes up) so yeah, Happy Thanksgiving!**

**A Drop in the Ocean (by Ron Pope)**

* * *

From the moment I woke up to the sound of the rain on the pavement, I knew that Sunday was going to be different. Something just felt weird, like it was out of place. You know those days where you wake up and it feels wrong? Yeah, it was one of those days.

I shook it off as I got out of bed, my mind wandering back to last night. Sora was acting strange, and I couldn't help but be upset. I was supposed to be his best friend but he couldn't even tell me what was wrong. It was really starting to bother me. I couldn't help but think maybe he didn't want to tell me...

I was snapped out of my thoughts by my phone vibrating. I looked down and saw a message from Namine.

NAMINE: Hey, want to come over today? Roxas and Sora have work until three.

See, I didn't even know he had work today! I always knew what Sora was up to and lately, I didn't have a clue what was going on. I sighed and glanced at the clock. It was eleven so I replied to Namine telling her I'd be over at noon.

I thought about my options as I got ready. My first choice was that I could try to make things go back to the way they were. The problem with that was he'd have to stop acting so weird, which was out of my control. My second option was to admit my feelings, but that really didn't have anything to do with the problem and wouldn't help. If anything, it would make Sora act even weirder around me. My last and only real possibility was to confront him.

I'd only really confronted Sora once before and that was when we were seven and I thought he broke my Minnie Mouse scooter (It had turned out that Cloud was the one that really broke it, but that's not the point). Sora and I barely ever fought, there was never any reason for confrontation. But if I pressed hard enough, Sora could never really hide anything from me.

Besides, it was the only way to change whatever was going on between us.

I sighed and walked outside, throwing my hood over my head. The rain wasn't that bad yet but I could tell it was just the beginning of the storm. I walked quickly the few blocks to her house, trying to push all the thoughts about Sora to the back of my mind. The last thing I needed was Namine getting involved in the middle of this.

Her and Sora were close, they had a sort of brother and sister relationship. She wouldn't pick a side, and I wouldn't want her to but I had a feeling she'd want us to make up. She always seemed to bring him up in conversation and ask me about him whenever we spent time together. At first I didn't think much of it, then I started to think she had a crush on him or something. Once she began spending a ton of time with Roxas that theory was disproved, so that left me with nothing.

As I reached her house, Namine opened the door and stepped onto the porch with a smile on her face. I smiled back as I saw what she was holding. In her right hand was the cover of some chick flick and in her left hand was a bowl of popcorn. I pulled down my hood and kicked off my shoes as we walked into her house and plopped onto the big navy L-shaped couch in her living room.

"When's the last time we did this?" I asked as she pressed a button on the remote and the movie began playing.

"Probably a month, maybe two." The movie had started but neither of us really cared. It was the same movie we had seen a thousand times. We never actually watched the movie. We talked when we hung out. Surprisingly and thankfully, we didn't talk about boys. We actually talked about the group. "So, what do you want to start with?" She asked, looking over at me as she shoved a handful of popcorn into her mouth.

I smirked and grabbed a handful myself. "Let's start with Tidus and Selphie."

* * *

In Selphie's opinion, rainy days were the best days for shopping. There wasn't much else to do in the rain and besides, the feeling of finding new cute clothes was the perfect pick-me-up when it's all gloomy and gray out. But of course, it was one o'clock on a Sunday afternoon and she was in the local library with textbooks surrounding her. She mentally sighed to herself as she glanced out the window, watching the rain drops trickle down the glass.

"Uh, I think I got it." She was snapped out of her daydream by a voice. She turned to look at the boy sitting across from her. He nervously slid the paper over to her. Just by the first glance Selphie knew she made the right choice coming to help him. His work was easy to follow and his answers matched her key exactly.

"Good job Peter, you got every single one right." She said as she stood and grabbed her textbook, slinging her bag over her shoulder.

"Really?" He asked, standing up and fumbling to grab all the papers and books at once. Selphie kindly smiled and handed it back to him.

"Yup, it couldn't be more right, if that makes sense." She said lightly. She quickly glanced over to where Olette sat with one of her students. They had both called in the morning saying they really needed help with pre-calc.

"Thanks a bunch Selphie! And I'm sorry about the last minute thing."

"Don't worry about it Peter. I'm glad I could help." She said. Olette and her student walked up to the two of them.

"We'll see you guys next week, alright?" Olette said. The two of them nodded before heading out of the library together. Olette waited until they were gone to give Selphie half of the money they had given her.

"Before you say anything, I know that rainy days are your shopping days Selph but thank you so much for helping me out. I don't think I could've helped both of them without you." Olette said as they left the library together. The rain was pattering against the pavement and Selphie was immediately grateful she decided to wear her rain boots that morning.

"It's no problem. After all, it would have taken you twice as long to help two people." She said as they both climbed into Olette's car.

"Under any usual circumstance I wouldn't have agreed to help but their summer work is due on Saturday and they have to leave for some sports camp thing today. In fact, I think they went right from the library to the school." Olette explained.

"Oh, they must be going to the same place as Tidus." Selphie said absentmindedly. She realized what she had said a moment after it came out and she opened her mouth to explain but Olette beat her to it.

"Speaking of Tidus, you two seem to be spending quite a lot of time together recently." Selphie turned to see Olette with that smirk on her face, the same one she always wore when she was right.

"Yeah, we're just being friends I guess. It's weird, I can't remember the last time the two of us hung out before this summer." Selphie tried her best to emphasize the friendship part of the conversation.

"Are you sure you two are just being quoet-unquote 'friends'? I mean you said it yourself, you and Tidus have barely spoken all three years of high school so why the sudden change?" Olette was a very smart and logistical person. She went by the facts, followed the book so to say. When it came to things like this, she was usually spot on but the problem was Olette didn't know Tidus very much.

"I know, it sounds strange. But honestly, I think Tidus just wants a real friend, one he can trust and rely on, you know? He has his teammates but he's... very different from them. I can tell by the way he talks about them that he feels like he doesn't really fit in with them. Besides, I'm pretty sure a girlfriend is the last thing on his mind with his sports. Actually, I don't think Tidus has ever even had a girlfriend." Selphie finished her explanation but she could tell by the look on Olette's face that she wasn't buying it.

"So there's nothing there? You don't think he's cute or anything?" Olette asked. Now that was a different question entirely.

"Well, yeah Tidus is sweet and all, plus he's the textbook definition of good looking but it's just not a good idea. He has sports and I have AP's. We're going to end up going to different colleges in a year anyway. And besides the inevitable end, we just started talking to each other on a personal level. I don't even know the basic "what's your favorite color". Maybe a year or two ago things could've turned out differently. But as of right now, I'm just getting an old friend back." Selphie explained.

The truth was that she had been thinking about the subject since the night before. She liked Tidus, he was very kind and well mannered. He held doors open and paid for dinner and he made sure she got home without falling asleep in a bush somewhere, but she wasn't sure if she thought of him like that. She didn't know him well enough to think of him like that. College was right around the corner so there was no point starting anything just to have it end in a year.

She glanced over at Olette and saw the sad smile on her face. "I understand your reasoning. It's too bad though, you guys would have been cute together." Olette said as she pulled up to Selphie's house. "Thanks again for helping me out!" She said as Selphie climbed out of the car.

"No problem!" Selphie shut the car door and watched her friend pull away from the curb before turning around and walking up to her front door. he knew people were going to assume there was something going on between her and Tidus, but she was prepared. It was the truth that there was nothing going on. She was just tutoring him and they were just trying to get to know each other the way they used to.

Besides, there were two types of girls. The girls who have boyfriends in high school and get distracted and end up with their hearts broken, and the girls who wait to date until college or even after when they are independent and on the road to success. Selphie had always been more of the second type. It would have to take a pretty special guy to change that.

* * *

Roxas sat on a chair, his feet propped up against the front counter that Sora was currently laying across. Not a single person had come into the shop that day, and they had started their shifts at nine in the morning. Roxas could tell from the minute Sora walked in that something was up. He didn't push it though. He had a pretty good idea what was bothering him.

"Why are we still here?" Sora complained, sitting up but staying on the counter. He swung his legs over to face Roxas. "There's absolutely nobody on the beach." He said, looking out the front window. Roxas glanced over and noted that the storm had worsened. It looked as if it was nighttime outside from the amount of clouds.

"Geez, it looks like a hurricane out there." Roxas said, standing up and walking towards it. Thunder boomed and the shack shook slightly from the rumble. He felt his phone buzz in his pocket and he ignored it until it kept buzzing. Somebody was calling him. He took it out and saw that it was Wakka.

"Hello?"

"Hey Roxas, you and Sora can close up early and head out. Sorry you guys went in, I thought it would have cleared up by now." Wakka said from the other side.

"Don't worry about it man. Thanks for the call." Roxas said before hanging up and turning to Sora. "That was Wakka, he said we can close up and go home." He said. Sora nodded before hopping off the counter and grabbing his sweatshirt. Roxas grabbed his sweatshirt too but before he could leave, Sora stopped him.

"Hey man, I just wanted to let you know that Namine told me." He said, looking at Roxas seriously.

"Told you what?" Roxas didn't want to give anything away, but he had a feeling Namine was going to tell Sora.

"I know about you and her. I'm happy for you guys. And don't worry about the group, I'll take care of it if anybody has a problem with it." Sora said, slipping on his hoodie. He went to go for the door but Roxas stepped in front of it, blocking him from leaving.

"That means a lot dude, but I need to tell you something." Roxas said, looking his friend dead in the eye. He could tell by the way Sora was shrinking back and looking anywhere but him that Sora knew what was coming. "It's really obvious that something's eating you up man." Roxas said, shoving his hands in his pockets and leaning against the wall. Sora exhaled and turned around, running a hand through his hair. Roxas just watched and let him, he could tell the guy was falling apart and needed a minute.

"Alright, fine. I feel terrible. It's probably because I've got a total of like, five hours of sleep the past two nights combined. Is that it?" Sora asked.

"Oh really, and why haven't you been able to sleep?" Roxas asked. His question was met with silence. He sighed and pushed himself up off the wall. "Sora, I know how you feel about Kairi. I'm pretty sure everybody does. Now what did you do that's making you look like the living dead?" Roxas asked. Sora met his eyes and Roxas honestly felt bad for him because he looked terrible.

"I didn't do anything. That's the problem. I want to tell her but I don't want to lose her as a friend if she doesn't like me back. And I know Kairi would still be my friend, but I can't ignore it anymore. Every time I'm around her I'm constantly reminded that I'm her friend but I want more than that. God, that sounds so dumb and girly, but it's true. So I don't know what to do. I went over to her house last night after Namine gave me advice and I was going to tell her. Dude,it took an hour to convince myself just to go over there. I just couldn't tell her. She keeps asking why I'm acting weird too, so I'm really running out of options. I just don't know what to do." Sora began pacing back and forth and he barely took a breath between his sentences. Roxas just watched, half amused and half sympathetic. Only Sora could act like a zombie and still act like... well, Sora.

"Sora?" Roxas said, snapping his best friend out of his trance. "You really only have one choice." When Sora looked over at him, Roxas had a feeling his friend already knew what he was about to say. "If you don't tell her, you'll lose her forever." Sora nodded and hung his head, looking at the ground.

"I knew you were gonna say that." Sora said. The two of them stayed silent as they turned off all the lights and locked up the doors. Roxas noticed Sora was spaced out and punched him in the arm.

"I know putting yourself on the line sucks, but it's better than this. Besides, you're worrying over nothing. You two have practically been in love since you were in kindergarten. It's almost pathetic." Sora laughed a bit and Roxas was relieved. "Well I've gotta go get ready. I have dinner with Nami tonight, but you'll be fine dude. Good luck." He said before getting in his car.

He watched as Sora turned and started jogging towards the beach but he shrugged it off. He gave his friend the best advice he had to give, so he had fulfilled his requirements of the bro code for the day. He drove towards his house and wondered why the hell he agreed to cook dinner for his girlfriend that night and how he could get out of it.

* * *

"Wait, you really think out of everyone in the group, they'd be the ones to hook up?" Namine asked me as I popped another chocolate covered Paopu slice in my mouth. I contemplated my response and swallowed before I spoke again.

"No, I mean Xion and Riku just seem like the type to be friends with benefits. They get along well and have a lot of the same interests so why not? I don't think anybody else in the group have loose enough morals anyway." I answered.

The movie had ended and we had finished talking about Selphie and Tidus a while ago. We had moved onto another one of our favorite topics. The game starts when one person picks a category. It can be anything like who is most likely to become a stripper, what pair would make the worst couple, et cetera. Namine just happened to use the friends with benefits card. So, I would pick the pair out of everybody in our circle of friends that fit the category the best.

"I guess I can see it. Okay, your turn." Namine said. But before I could think of a category, her phone started ringing. _All of Me _by John Legend was playing from somewhere in the kitchen. Her eyes got really wide and she all but sprinted into the kitchen to answer it. "Hey Roxas, I thought you had work?" I head her say into the phone.

_'All of me? Really Namine? Way to be subtle. Wait, if that's Roxas then Sora must have gotten out of work early too. Wait, you're mad at him. Right, shut up.' _I thought to myself. Namine came in after a minute or two, her cheeks flushed with red.

"Uh, sorry about that." She said, sitting back on the couch.

"So, that was Roxas?" I asked, smirking at her. There was definitely something she wasn't telling me. I stared at her until sh finally caved.

"Alright, yes it was. Where were we?" She tried to change the subjects but I was not letting that happen.

"Namine, you don't just set _All of Me _for anyone. What aren't you telling me?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"It's kind of a secret..." She said, trailing off at the end.

"Come on, please? I won't tell a soul, I swear!" I said, holding out my pinky. Namine looked at it and the second she looked up I knew I got her.

"Fine, I'll tell but you really can't tell anybody. You're not supposed to find out until later this week but... Roxas and I are dating." My eyes nearly popped out of my skull.

"What? You guys are dating?! I expected you finally admitting you like him but dating?" I asked, overwhelmed and surprised to say the least.

"I'm sorry! We've been dating for a few months but we didn't want to say any-"

"A few months! What, how the hell have you been hiding a boyfriend for months?!" I asked, laughing at the whole situation. Namine was giggling too and before I knew it I was hugging her. "Well no matter what I'm happy for you." I said, pulling away from the hug.

"I know it goes against the rules and all but we're gonna tell the group this week anyway. We were gonna wait until next summer but we just couldn't. I'm sorry." She said.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. I'm sure nobody will even care about it. So am I the first to know?"

"Actually, you're the third. Sora and Axel know." Namine said sheepishly.

"Wait, Sora and Axel? Really?" I asked.

"Well, Roxas told Axel. And I told Sora for specific reasons." Namine said, looking at me carefully, almost as if she was studying my reaction.

"What reasons?" I asked, confused.

"Well... I guess he didn't go through with it." Namine muttered to herself, taking her phone out and firing a quick text, or at least that's what I assumed.

"Go through with what? Namine, you're not making any sense." I was starting to get worried. Namine's phone buzzed and her eyes quickly scanned the message before she replied quickly, shoving it back in her pocket. She took a quick breath and looked me dead in the eye and I was suddenly very nervous about what she was going to say.

"Kairi, I need you to be completely and totally honest with me right now. Do you have feelings for Sora?" She asked. My heart jumped and I immediately felt myself blush and I hated my body for giving it away but I still tried to deny it.

"Namine, what does this have to do wit-"

"Kairi, it's really important. I know the answer already, I'm sorry but it's obvious you're head over heels for the guy. I just need to hear it from you. I won't tell anybody, you can trust me." She said. And I knew right then and there that everything was about to change.

"Yeah, I do." A moment passed and her phone buzzed again. She took it out and read the message before standing up and grabbing my shoes.

"Okay, you're gonna have to trust me. Go to your spot. Don't ask me any questions, just text me later tonight, okay?" She said, shoving my shoes in my hands and opening the door for me. I don't know why but I felt like whatever I was about to do was right. So I put on my shoes and looked at her one last time before running out the door and down the street towards the beach.

* * *

**(A.N.- Wink wink, nudge nudge, this is it guys)**

I was running through the pouring rain as fast as my legs would let me. There was thunder rumbling overhead and I tried to think of the last time a storm was this bad but I couldn't. I didn't know why I was running to our spot and I had a feeling it had to do with Sora which just made me run faster.

The whole stretch was deserted and I began to feel the chill of the rain. My clothes were soaked and hung heavy, but I didn't care. My hair was stuck to my skin with rain, but I didn't care. All I cared about was getting to that spot. Finally I spotted it a few yards down the beach. I kept running until I stood in front of it.

It hit me that I ran all the way here based on pure instinct. I stood in front of the vines and leaves, frozen, just staring at the tiny entrance to the cave. I had no idea what to expect. I closed my eyes and thunder rang through the clouds once more and I breathed in with the rain. I exhaled before opening my eyes, trying to clear my mind. Finally, I threw aside the leaves and crawled through the small space.

And there he was, sitting with his back to me. I could tell it was him, even from behind. Even though his hair was damp, it still maintained its spiky shape. He wore a navy hoodie that was speckled with raindrops and he was looking at the drawings we had made when we were kids.

"I just ran all the way here and I'm not exactly sure why." My voice surprised me. It was unsteady, wavering, and my teeth were chattering. Sora turned around and his eyes widened at my appearance.

"Jesus Kai, you're soaked." He said, stepping forward and sliding out of his jacket. I took a step back and put my hand out because I was _angry_. For the past few days he was acting uncomfortable around me, not trusting me, not talking to me, and suddenly he cared?

"No. Don't. You don't get to act like you care now." I say. I hear the bitterness in my voice but I can't help it. I'm just so mad. "You've been acting different around me Sora and I hate it! And you can't just pick and choose when to be my best friend!" I explain. I realize that I've started shivering because the wet, cold clothing is clinging to my body and weighing it down. I look up and Sora has his hands in his pockets, his eyes looking just past me and it fuels my anger.

"Well then what do you want Kairi? Why'd you come here?" His voice is bitter too but I disregard it.

"I want answers! I'm just sitting there with Namine and all of a sudden she's asking me serious questions like what I feel about... certain people. One minute she's talking about you not going through with something and I have no idea what she's saying and the next she tells me to come here? What the hell is going on Sora?"

He looks up at me and his eyes are stormier than I've ever seen. There's just something about the way he looks at me that hurts. "Do you really want to know?" His voice is low and it kind of scares me but I don't show it and I nod my head, not trusting my voice. My heart is still pounding and I feel my whole body bouncing with nervousness but I don't care.

"The truth is, I can't do this anymore." He sounds miserable. "I can't be your friend Kairi. I've tried so hard to ignore it but I just can't. It's not fair to you either, and we both know it." He looks down at the ground and closes his eyes. He takes a deep breath in and I feel like I'm about to burst with anticipation when he finally looks up. "I love you Kairi. I am completely in love with you. I can't even remember the last time I looked at you as just a friend. Every time I look at you, all I want to do is push you against the wall and kiss you." My heart basically gives out right at that moment.

"It's not just physical either. It's everything about you. It's the way you laugh and it's the way we just spend hours together and don't get bored. It's the way you look at me Kairi, God. All those things just make me love you. I just want you to be mine. It hurts to be around you and know that I'm just your friend when I want to be so much more than that." He gives me a chance to reply but I am completely shocked. Every part of me is frozen and my head is screaming at my mouth to say something, anything, but nothing comes out.

And... I know you don't feel the same way about me. I can't blame you or anything. And after Friday, I just couldn't hold it in anymore. I just can't be around you and love you the way I do. I can't. I'm sorry." And he walks past me and out the crawl space but my body won't move.

My mind has one thought. _He loves me. _And suddenly it's like somebody flips a big power switch on inside of me and everything starts working again because I turn and run out after him. He's already quite a distance away from me, his hands are shoved in his pockets and his head is hung low and the rain is even harder if that's possible but I jut have to get to him. The weight of my rain soaked clothes slow me down but I keep pushing. When I'm a few feet away from him I yell his name and he turns around, confused. He opens his mouth to say something but I don't give him the chance because the next second I crash my lips onto his.

It's pouring around us and the rain is freezing but all I feel is the warmth. His lips hesitate for a second or two but they start moving against mine and it's everything I've wanted for years. His lips are soft and the kiss isn't gentle and tender, it's none of that romantic crap in the movies. It's desperate and needy and just an overwhelming sense of want. My arms find their way around his neck and it must hit him that I'm kissing him because he pulls away and looks down at me, still confused. His hands hover right above my waist and I shake my head.

"God Sora, you're stupid." I smile but he still looks confused. I just shake my head. "Do I have to spell it out for you? I love you t-" I don't get to finish the sentence because he leans down and kisses me again, and I love it.

* * *

Xion was watching the rain splatter the windshield, her eyes focused on the road but her mind miles away. Her mind was spinning with everything that was bothering her. Riku, yesterday, Roxas, the party, Namine. She weighed her options again and again even though she was aready driving to his house. She had made her final decision. She was going to tell him.

Before she knew it, her small black car was parked in front of his house. She felt like throwing up because of the nerves bouncing around in her system. She sat in the car, thinking about how easy it would be just to turn the keys and drive away. She could pretend it never happened but what good would that do? She'd lose the battle without putting up a fight, and Xion was the type of girl who fought until the end.

She took a deep breath and forced herself out of the car, walking through the pouring rain and up to the front door. Every move felt forced, it felt wrong. As she raised her hand to knock at the door she realized it was her last chance to back out. Before she could give it any real thought, her body betrayed her and her hand knocked against the wood.

Xion was surprised when Roxas's father answered the door. By the looks of it, he looked just as surprised to see her. She realized he probably didn't recognize her after all these years.

"Um, hello. I'm Xion, I was wondering if Roxas is here?" She asked. Were they expecting visitors? His father stepped to the side and let her in the house.

"He's upstairs in his room." He said before walking back into the kitchen. Xion took her time as she walked up the stairs. She faintly remembered the house, but it was much bigger than her memory gave it credit for. She took everything in as she walked to the end of the hall, coming to what she hoped was Roxas's door. She took a deep breath and was about to mentally prepare herself when the door flung open by itself.

Roxas stood on the other side, his eyebrows arched in surprise. He was wearing a light blue long sleeve shirt that was rolled up to his elbows and black jeans. Xion thought he looked pretty dressed up for sitting around the house but she ignored the thought, focusing on what she came to do.

"Xion?" Roxas asked, obviously confused. With each second Xion was losing more and more of her confidence.

"Hi. Um, I just stopped by to talk real quick." She barely recognized her own voice it was so airy and light. She didn't even realize she was doing it.

"Sure?" Roxas said, letting Xion into his room. She walked in and observed that his room was decent for a boys room. There was an occassional shirt here and papers over there but it was pretty neat. "Um, is there anything specific you came by to talk about? I was kind of busy." Roxas said, shooting her a polite smile as he rummaged through his room looking for something.

"Um, yeah." Xion said, finding a comfortable spot standing by the wall on the corner. "I was looking through old pictures the other day and I found some of us and I just got to thinking how we used to hang ou all the time. Crazy, right?" Okay, so there were no pictures and she was lying but so what?

"Yeah, good times." He said. She noted that he found what he was looking for, a small white box with a powder blue ribbon over it. He shoved it in his back pocket and glanced at his watch.

Xion could tell she was loosing him, if she ever had his interest at all. He was preoccupied and this whole thing was a disaster. In all honesty she just wanted to sprint out of the room and pretended it never happened, but she knew that wasn't possible. This wasn't at all how was pictured it. She had to do something drastic and quick.

"Listen, I'm sorry if this seems rude bu-" Xion didn't let him finish the sentence because she threw herself against him and quickly smashed her lips onto his. It was hard and it hurt and she couldn't tell if he was kissing her back. Xion felt herself being pushed away and her back hit the wall. She opened her eyes to see Roxas glaring at her and she immediately felt her heart sink.

"Roxas?" They both turned to see Namine standing in the doorway. She was wearing a baby blue sundress and her hair fell in wispy waves down her right shoulder. She held a small present in one hand and she looked as if her heart had just been ripped out.

_'Well, that makes two of us.' _Xion thought to herself. She watched as Namine ran down the stairs and Roxas followed right behind her, begging her to listen, that it wasn't what it looked like.

Xion stood there for a second, letting it sink in. Namine and Roxas were together. She was pretty damn sure of it now. And she had put herself on the line, kissed the only boy she's thought of for years, and in the end she still lost. She felt the tears begin to sting the back of her eyes as she quietly made her way down the stairs.

_'I should have listened to Riku'._

She opened the front door and walked out onto the porch. Roxas was standing in the rain, watching a silver car speed down the street. He turned his head and saw her. She didn't know if she felt scared or guilty or just dumb, but she certainly felt like shit. Roxas began walking back towards her and she could already tell this was going to end badly.

"Why the fuck would you do that?!" He asked, obviously furious. Xion just stayed silent. The answer to the question would be irrelevent, she could see that now. "Well, whatever the reason I hope you're satisfied because the girl I love hates me now. Thanks a lot." He marched right inside and slammed the door shut in her face. Xion managed to walk to her car, her body on autopilot because her mind was spinning with words.

_' "Why the fuck would you do that?" Because I love you. "The girl I love hates me now" And it's not me...'_

Once she got in her car she let her armor fall and she sat there and cried, reaching for her phone. She didn't care if she was hysterically crying and sobbing in her car at seven o' clock on a Sunday night, she knew somebody who would be there for her. He said it himself that he'd be there to pick up the pieces. He knew this was going to happen.

He picked up after four rings. "Hello?"

"Riku? I need you."

* * *

**A.N.- Sorry this is really late at night I lost power for the whole day but I really wanted to get this up for you guys. Well bet you guys didn't see that one coming! I hope you guys liked it. Don't worry, things are gonna work out. Sorry for any errors! The last chapter had a bunch but I'm gonna fix them within the week. Again, feedback is lovely and thanks a ton for reading this chapter!**


	8. All of Me

**A.N.- Okay, this chapter is very long to make up for the wait, about 9,500K. Thank you all so much for the reviews! I hope you guys like it so without further ado, I give you chapter 7 (I worked all day on this, like literally spent hours on it so I hope you guys like it)**

**All of Me (by John Legend)**

* * *

"Selphie, we've got a code blue." I said into my phone as I took in the sight ahead of me. Namine stood in front of the oven, her long blonde hair tied up in a very messy ponytail. She wore what I think was a white tank top and pink shorts, but they were covered in flour and chocolate and who knows what else. She looked as if she had barely slept and I wouldn't be surprised if she hadn't. She looked like a zombie and if she realized I was there, she didn't bother acknowledging it.

"Uh oh, how bad is it Kairi?" Selphie asked from the other end. "Is it worse than when Misty passed?" Selphie asked, referring to when Namine's pet Moogle died. There were endless piles of dishes in the sink and on the counter tops, it felt like the desert from the oven being on so long, and everything from cookies to cupcakes to brownies were all over the place. I had my answer

"Way worse. Get over here as soon as you can." I said before ending the call and walking over to where Namine was furiously whisking some cake batter. "Namine, what's wrong?" I asked cautiously, placing a hand on her shoulder. She jumped in surprise and turned to look at me, dropping the whisk in the giant bowl of what I could now tell was lemon cake batter.

"Oh, Kairi. I didn't know you were here." She said monotonously. Her eyes were bloodshot and she merely turned back to the bowl and muttered under her breath before digging for the whisk and going back to whisking. I sighed in frustration and took her by her shoulders, turning her around.

"NAMINE." I said calmly but firmly. "What's wrong?" I asked, shaking her slightly. She finally met my eyes and I watched as her face crumbled a bit.

"Roxas..." She whispered quietly, and that's all I needed to hear. I pulled her against me as she started quietly crying and I steered us to the couch.

"Oh Nam, what happened?" I asked, rubbing a hand on her back as she cried into her hands. She just shook her head, taking a deep shaky breath.

"I went over to his house last night for dinner. It was our six month anniversary and..." She trailed off and I was already dead set on kicking Roxas's ass. "I walked in on him kissing Xion." That's when she lost it and started crying even harder, slightly hysterical. Selphie burst through the door then, a gallon of ice cream and a package of chocolate in one hand, a whole bunch of chick flicks in the other. She had obviously just gotten up because she wore yoga pants, a Hollow Bastion T-shirt, and her glasses. Selphie would never be caught dead in public wearing her glasses unless it was an absolute emergency. I smiled as she rushed towards us and placed everything on the table.

"Okay, I brought my emergency package just in case." She said, sitting on the other side of Namine. I looked over at her and we each shared a sympathetic smile.

"I'm gonna go make a quick call, can you take care of her real quick?" I asked as I stood up, my cell phone in hand. Selphie nodded and directed her attention back to the hysterical Namine.

"It's okay Nam, just let it out." Selphie consoled quietly while I made my way back into the kitchen. I sighed, doing a once over of the place. As far as I could see, we had two batches of brownies, at least fifty cupcakes, one heavily decorated cake and too many cookies too count. And that was just what was on the available counter space. I sighed, walking onto the back porch.

I couldn't call Roxas, something told me he wouldn't pick up and I definitely had to get the whole story before I unleashed my fury upon him. Riku wasn't exactly informed of the former relationship status of Roxas and Namine, but with him being so close to Xion, he wouldn't be a good candidate anyway. Tidus was out of town, and as much as I wanted to call Sora, I had another person in mind, someone who Roxas trusted without a doubt. It had to be him. I quickly scrolled through the contacts and found the name, clicking call.

It rang five times before his voice filtered through the other line. "This better be good if you're waking me up at the crack of dawn Kairi." He said groggily.

"Oh please Axel, it's nine o'clock in the morning. Anyways, this is really important. It's about Roxas." I said quietly, glancing over my shoulder to make sure Namine was still with Selphie.

"I'm listening." Axel said, all evidence of sleep gone from his voice. I paused, thinking of how this could go.

"And it's about Namine." I said, hoping my tone gave away everything he needed to know. I heard him inhale sharply and there was a long pause.

"...What the hell did he do?"

* * *

Selphie knew that whatever happened must have been bad because she had never seen Namine like this. Namine was always the level-headed one out of all the girls. She was hardly ever hysterical, she was always so collected, and now seeing Namine a sobbing mess, Selphie knew it was as bad as it gets.

Kairi walked back into the room and sat beside Namine. At least she had calmed down a bit and the sobbing had decreased into small hiccuping and soft cries.

"Namine, are you feeling any better?" Kairi asked, patting her shoulder. The small blonde exhaled and nodded before looking up.

"Yeah. I think I should tell you guys the whole story." She said, taking a deep breath. She turned to Selphie with a bit of a smile on her face. "I'm sorry for keeping this from you, I only kept it a secret because I thought it was for the good of the group, and so did he. Kairi only knows because I told her last night. She needed a push in the right direction." She paused, shooting Kairi a knowing smile before turning back to Selphie. "Please don't be mad, but Roxas and I have been together for six months, yesterday was our anniversary." Selphie was shocked to say the least. She had figured there was some chemistry or something, but they were a couple and they managed to keep it hidden for six months.

"How can I be mad about that?" Selphie asked with a smile before remembering the emotional state of her friend when she had walked through the door. The smile turned into a grimace as it clicked. "Oh my gosh, what did that idiot do?"

"Well, we had a date planned out that night. I was supposed to go over to his house at about 7:30. He insisted on making it special and he wouldn't tell me anything about what he had planned. The anticipation was killing me so I invited Kairi over for a girl's day, you know, keep my mind off of it? Well, it turns out Kairi here had quite a bit on her mind too so she ended up leaving early. I took my time getting ready, I put on my favorite dress and did my hair. It was only 7 but I figured he wouldn't mind if I was a bit early..." She could see Namine was getting upset at the memory so she placed a hand on her knee. Namine smiled at her again before taking a breath and continuing.

"So, I got there at 7:15 and Mr. Hart let me in. I knew by the look on his face something was just... wrong. There was this knot in my stomach and it just didn't feel right. But I ignored it and went up to Roxas's room, where Mr. hart had said he was. The door was open, but I couldn't hear anything. It was dead silent, which was weird. So I walked up and I saw..."

Namine couldn't finish, but she didn't have to. Kairi wrapped an arm around her best friend as she looked over at Selphie. "She saw Xion kissing him."

If Selphie was shocked before, she was beyond shocked now. Xion? And Roxas? When did that even happen? The two of them barely talked! Selphie knew there had to be some sort of explanation for this. Then her mind flashed back to the night of the party, when she gave Xion a makeover. She remembered that flicker of hope in Xion's eye when Selphie had told her that she could get any guy she wanted. It made sense. Selphie knew they used to be close as children, and with Xion's aversion to every other guy around her...

"How could I not see it?" Selphie said aloud, her mind going through all the evidence. The longing looks, the shyness whenever Roxas was involved, it was obvious.

"See what?" Kairi asked, staring at Selphie with confusion. Namine had calmed down and was staring at her too.

"Xion likes Roxas! I can't believe I didn't figure this out sooner. Haven't you guys always noticed that she's pretty outgoing in general, but the second Roxas is there she's all shy and quiet?" Selphie asked. Their minds pondered and Selphie watched as the idea sank in.

"Now that I think about it, you're right. I remember the first night of summer, and Riku asked Roxas if he was interested in any girls and he said he was interested in one. Xion got this look on her face but I never gave it a second thought. It makes sense." Kairi said. Selphie tried to remember, but everything after the Creamery that night was a drunken blur. "And, if I remember correctly, Namine was asked if she'd ever been kissed and she answered no." Kairi shot Namine a look and her friend laughed, shaking her head.

"Okay I lied to keep up the whole secret relationship thing, but getting back on track, you guys think Xion liked or likes Roxas?" Namine asked, looking between the two friends on either side of her. They both nodded and she sighed, leaning back into the couch. "Well then I guess it's over." She replied glumly.

"What are you talking about?" Kairi asked, confused by her friend.

"Well, Xion likes Roxas, and I saw them kissing last night, so he must like her too, right?" Namine said, her eyes focused on the ground. Selphie and Kairi exchanged a doubting glance.

"Namine, I know it makes sense, but there's gotta be more to it. We're just guessing with Xion. And even if we're right about her, who knows what really happened. As much as I hate to say this, we don;t know the whole story. We know your side of it. And only two other people know what really happened in that room." Kairi said quietly. Namine nodded but she didn't cry. She was all out of tears, she was exhausted. She just leaned her head on Kairi's shoulder.

"Okay. Thanks for being here guys, it means a lot." Namine said, smiling slightly as she spoke. She was incredibly thankful for her friends. She sighed before shoving herself up off the couch. "And as great as this was, I'll be fine. I should probably start cleaning up the kitchen, I've got work in a few hours so I want to be able to take a nap and shower before then."

"Are you sure? If you need me to, I can cover for you. Aerith wouldn't have a problem with it." Kairi offered. Namine just shook her head.

"No, it'll get my mind off of things anyway. Thanks though. Feel free to take anything you want though, there's no way I can eat all of this." She said, gesturing to the baked goods behind her.

"Geez how long have you been up baking?" Selphie asked, grabbing a few of everything in the kitchen.

"I haven't slept actually. I got home, cried my eyes out, then went into zombie baking mode." Namine confessed, laughing a bit.

"You sure you can clean this all up Nam?" Kairi asked one last time as her and Selphie got ready to leave. Namine just nodded.

"Yeah, you guys did all you could already. Thanks for being here for me." She said with a smile. Kairi and Selphie just nodded and said their goodbyes before walking out.

"I hate to say this, but we really need to get to the bottom of this. I know Roxas pretty well and he would never hurt Namine on purpose." Kairi said as her and Selphie walked to their respective cars.

"I think you're right. I'm gonna go talk to Xion and see what happened, if that's okay. I know what Namine's going through, but Xion's going through it too, you know?" Selphie said, throwing her emergency package in the backseat.

"Yeah, I get it. I'll go talk to Roxas. Text me!" Kairi said, waling to her car. Selphie nodded before climbing into her own car and driving off. She had a feeling that this was all one huge misunderstanding but before her knack for solving problems kicked in, she had another friend to comfort, so she sped off towards her own house.

She'd go to Xion's right after, but she had a feeling Riku would be there for Xion until she could at least get some contact lenses in and put on some decent clothing.

* * *

How could he let this happen? How could he be so stupid? Roxas hadn't left his room once that morning, he'd barely even gotten out of bed. He had slept an hour, if that because the guilt was eating him alive. He had messed up the best thing that had ever happened to him. He sighed, running his hands through his hair once again as his thoughts went around in circles.

He didn't even know why Xion had come over in the first place? Sure, they were friends but they weren't close by any stretch of the imagination. They had been best friends as kids but that had pretty much stopped when they grew up. And besides that, _why the hell would she kiss him? _It didn't make sense to him, he had no answers. One second he was looking for Namine's present and wondering why Xion was there and the next, she was kissing him.

It felt wrong. He felt guilt the second her lips touched his. He didn't respond to her at all, his mind was frozen as was his body. When he finally realized what was happening, he pushed her off of him and glared at her. He was about to tell her about Namine when he heard his name and his stomach completely dropped.

He remembered the look on her face. Completely heartbroken, and it rippled through his body too. She ran before he could say anything and he ran right after her, trying to explain. Of course he caught up to her when she was outside, trying to open her car. He tried to explain but she turned on him and slapped him as hard as she could. And for a girl so tiny, she slapped him pretty fricking hard.

_'I hate you.' _ That was all she said before she got in her car and drove off into the night.

He sat up, tugging at his hair as he did so. How could he fix this? He knew it wouldn't be long before Kairi found out, if she hadn't already.

His inner turmoil was interrupted by his bedroom door flying open. He looked up to see Axel and Sora in the doorway, both of them about ready to punch him.

"I can explain." He said quickly, standing up and holding his hands out in front of him. "Just give me ten minutes and I will explain everything, I swear." He pleaded. He could see they were thinking about it.

"Fine, you've got five minutes. Now." Axel said, crossing his arms as he leaned against the wall. Sora made himself comfortable and sat in the chair at his desk.

"Okay, you both know about me and Namine. And I gave you guys complete permission to kick my ass if I ever hurt her, but hear me out, I didn't mean to."

"That's what they always say!" Sora said accusingly.

"No, just listen okay? Last night I had something special planned for us, it was our six month anniversary." Roxas saw the look Axel was giving him and his eyes widened as he realized the double meaning of his words. "Shit, no, I didn't mean it like that. Look, I cooked dinner for her. My dad was here too, I didn't mean we were gonna sleep together, okay?" Roxas paused as Axel looked a little more relaxed and he continued. "But Xion showed up out of nowhere. One second she was talking about pictures and I was looking for Namine's present and the next she kissed me! I swear, I did not kiss her. And I didn't kiss her back. After I realized what was happening I pushed her off but... Namine got here early. And she saw the kiss and..." Roxas trailed off, plopping himself down on the bed and heaving a sigh, burying his face in his hands. "And now she hates me."

Silence settled in the room and he hoped he had convinced his friends because his five minutes were almost up.

"And as much as I deserve to have my ass kicked, I just want a chance to get her back." He sounded so desperate but he didn't give a shit because if you looked up desperate in the dictionary, he could proudly admit his face would be right there at the moment.

"I believe you Roxas." Sora said, breaking the tension. "I know you'd never hurt Namine on purpose."

"And as much as I agree that you deserve it, I'm not gonna kick your ass. I'm gonna help you get your girl back." Axel said, sitting next to his best friend. "So, what's the game plan?"

"I have no clue. I can't go to her house because there's no way in hell she'd let me in. I've tried calling her all night but it keeps going straight to voicemail. I don't know." He said miserably. Before either of his friends could say anything, he heard the front door slam and he heard footsteps coming up the stair case.

"Roxas Anthony Hart, you better have a damn good explanation!" He heard Kairi from down the hall and he groaned as he laid back on his bed, tugging at his hair again. God, what a mess he made.

Kairi stormed through the doorway but Sora intercepted her, blocking her path of destruction.

"Babe, calm down." Sora said, placing a hand on her shoulder. Roxas sat up as he heard his friend talk. Wait, babe?

"Wait, what?" Axel voiced Roxas's thoughts and they both looked at the pair. Sora immediately blanched as he realized his mistake and Kairi's face was flushed.

"Oh, yeah... about that." Sora said, taking his hand off of Kairi's shoulder and scratching the back of his neck. "Your girlfriend sort of got us together." Sora confessed, looking down at his girlfriend.

"Correction, your ex-girlfriend. And she's gonna stay that way too unless you can explain yourself." Kairi said fiercely, crossing her arms across her chest. Roxas sighed and launched himself into his recount of the previous night. However, she still didn't look as convinced as he needed her to be.

"Kairi, believe me, I hate myself for hurting her, especially like this. I just want to make things right." Roxas pleaded, looking up at one of his best friends. She sighed and Roxas watched her cave and she smiled.

"Fine, I'm in." She said, sitting on Sora's lap. Something struck Roxas's mind. If Namine's phone was off, how did Kairi find out?

"How is she?" He asked worriedly, looking at her. The smile was replaced by a frown.

"You want the truth?" He nodded and she sighed before continuing. "Bad. I've never seen her this bad. She's heartbroken Roxas." He felt another wave of guilt crash over him, but Kairi continued. "She stayed up the whole night baking. It was worse than Misty."

"God." He groaned, running his hands in hair and dropping his face down.

"But, if it helps, we came to a conclusion that might make this whole situation make more sense." Kairi said.

"We?" Roxas asked.

"Well, we needed Selphie too. It was a code blue! Anyway, we think Xion might... um, she might have feelings for you."

"Wait, Xion likes Roxas?" Sora asked, confused by the sudden revelation.

"She might." Kairi said. Roxas opened his mouth to reject the idea but Axel beat him to it.

"No, she does. I've seen it." Axel said nonchalantly. Roxas just stared in disbelief at his so-called best friend and he stood up and started pacing.

"You mean to tell me Xion, tom-boy, sporty, quiet Xion has a crush on me? And you knew and never told me?" Roxas questioned the redhead, frustration slowly mixing in with the guilt.

"Okay, first off Xion is far from quiet. That's a dead giveaway right there. The signs of a school girl crush are pretty obvious. When she's around anyone else, she's outgoing and talkative. But the second you come around, the switch is automatic." Axel said. His tone was so matter-of-factly that it bother Roxas.

"And secondly, I know a lot. It was obvious you and Namine had a thing for each other. I'll admit you got one over on me with the whole dating thing, but I was at college anyway. If I was actually around I doubt you could've hid it from me for as long as you did." Roxas's jaw dropped in disbelief at his fiery friend. "And don't even get me started on the couple over there. You guys might as well have tattooed each other's names across your foreheads because everyone on the island knew you'd hook up eventually. It was actually sickening watching you two dance around each other." Roxas took the time to glance at the mentioned couple, who looked just as surprised at Axel's rant. "And then there's something fishy with Riku, there's something there but I can't quite put my finger on it. Then again, the kid notices as much as I do so he's probably good at hiding it from me. Then there's Xion, which would bring us back to this whole debacle. I swear ever since you guys hit sixteen, the only normal ones are Selphie and Tidus." Axel finished and was met with silence. He merely shrugged at their expressions as if it was an every day occurrence. "What? I notice things. Getting back on track, how is Roxas gonna get his girl back?" Axel asked, glancing at Kairi. The other two boys in the room followed suit.

"Alright, I might have an idea."

* * *

"And the worst part is, they're all gonna hate me now." Xion said softly. She was sitting cross legged on her bed, and Riku sat in front of her. Her eyes were red and puffy, they hurt from all the crying she'd done. Riku placed a hand on her leg and she looked up to meet his eyes.

"They can't hate you for not knowing. That's their own fault Xi, not yours." Riku said softly. Xion smiled over at him and she couldn't help but be extremely grateful. Riku had been there, just like he said he'd be. He had walked to Roxas's in the rain and had driven her home in her own car. He stayed with her as long as she needed him, which happened to be all night, but he didn't seem to mind it.

"I just feel bad. I mean, I broke them up. But at the same time, I can't find it in myself to be mad because of how I felt about him, you know?" Xion tried to put her feelings into words but she just couldn't. She was so confused, she didn't know what she felt. Her worst fears had come true when Roxas pushed her away, but for some reason she could still breathe. She felt upset, yes, but broken? No. She had heard her mother say a thousand times that when you're heartbroken, you can't breathe because the person you loved meant so much to you. But here she was. No empty or hollow feelings, lungs functioning perfectly, there was just this sadness inside.

"Hey, I'm here for you no matter what, okay?" Riku said, scooting closer on the bed. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and hugged her into his side. Xion felt warmth flood through her and she smiled lightly, embracing the warmth Riku radiated and she wrapped her arms around his torso. "I'm sure everything will work out." He said quietly. They stayed like that until there was a knock on the front door.

Xion groaned, but she got up anyway, shuffling into the hallway. She glanced over her shoulder to make sure Riku was following in case it happened to be Roxas or Namine. He nodded in reassurance, two steps behind her before she turned back and opened the door.

"Selphie? What are you doing here?" Xion asked, confused.

"I heard about what happened and figured I'd check up on you. I'm Switzerland when it comes to this relationship stuff, but you're my friend and I wanted to make sure you were okay." Selphie explained. Riku walked up to them then and placed a hand on Xion's shoulder.

"Hey Xion, I'm gonna head out now. I have a few things to do, but text or call me if you need anything." He said with a smile. Xion just replied with a smile as Riku hugged her into him one more time and walked past Selphie.

"Bye Selphie!" He said over his shoulder as he walked down the sidewalk and back towards his house.

"Well, come on in." Xion said, opening the door wider as an invitation. Selphie stepped inside and slipped out of her sandals.

"So, how're you doing?" Selphie asked as they walked into the kitchen. Xion grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge as they sat down at the table, noting that Selphie already had a cup of coffee in hand.

"It's weird. I don't know why but I don't really feel anything I thought I would. I'm just kind of upset. I really hope the others aren't mad at me." Xion said quietly, glancing down at the bottle in her hands.

"Don't worry, I'm sure this is gonna work itself out. Can I ask you a question?" Selphie asked, a tone of hesitance in her voice. Xion felt cautious but she figured it couldn't get any worse, right?

"Yeah, go ahead."

"Why'd you kiss him? Roxas, I mean." There was a heavy silence as Xion mentally prepared herself to answer.

"I thought I loved him or something. I mean, I had a bit of a crush on him. I always have, since we were little. Maybe it was just an infatuation, I don't know. I knew that he liked someone from that night with the bonfire, and I was suspicious it was Namine. So I figured I had nothing to lose, I had to tell him how I felt. I couldn't give up on something I've felt for this long without trying. I went over to confess last night but he was just so distracted, so preoccupied. So I kissed him. I figured if he wouldn't listen, I'd make him listen, make him see. But if I had any idea that the two of them were something, I would have never done that. I wouldn't have kissed him, I promise. But I tore them apart now, and Roxas is so angry with me." Xion confessed quietly and she let Selphie take it all in.

"What if you knew they were something? Would you still tell him how you felt?" She asked thoughtfully. Xion hadn't really thought about that. She was going to tell him because she needed him to know how she felt before he got into anything.

"I think I would. I mean, it wouldn't hurt. He had a right to know, and I had a right to tell him. But I never wanted this, Selphie, I promise I didn't mean to do this."

"I understand. Don't worry, I'll be here for you too. I'm sure this will blow over and we can all be friends still." Selphie reassured her, shooting her a comforting smile. Xion was relieved for some reason and she felt compelled to continue.

"You know, I thought it'd be the end of the world if he didn't like me back but I think I always knew he didn't. I just didn't want to accept it."

"And now that you've confessed?" Selphie asked.

"I'm upset with the results, but I'm surprised. I'm not broken or empty. I just wish this whole thing never happened. I caused so many problems with it. And of course it hurts being rejected, but the pain isn't the black abyss I was convinced it would be."

"I think I know what it was Xion." Selphie said cautiously. "I think you were in love with the idea of love. You wanted something like that so much that you convinced yourself it was real. It makes sense too because you've known Roxas longer than anybody."

And it all made sense. She didn't feel heartbroken because she was never in love. She was merely infatuated with the idea of loving someone and being loved back. Of course she wasn't completely sold on the idea but it made better sense than her feelings ever did.

"Wow. I think you might be right." Xion said with a laugh.

"Well, it's been known to happen." Selpie joked.

"So, how are the others? Have you spoken to them?" Xion asked. She really was concerned for everyone. They were her friends. Granted, some people were closer than others but this was their group, and she'd regret it forever if she caused an irreparable rift.

"Well, Kairi's pretty pissed off at Roxas. We had a theory about your feelings, and I'm sure she won't hold it against you. Sora and Tidus are unaccounted for, but knowing Tidus he'll be Switzerland too. You know about Riku better than I do."

"And Roxas and Namine?" Xion asked, not entirely sure she wanted to know the answer. Selphie's sigh confirmed her fears.

"I'm not entirely sure about Roxas. Kairi went to check on that situation. And I hope you don't mind but I stopped at Namine's before I came over here. It was urgent, a code blue." Selphie said. Xion nodded even though she wasn't completely unaware of what a code blue was. "She's heartbroken. She was a crying, floury mess when I got there. She's doing a bit better now, but she's just really broken up about it." Selphie explained quietly.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean for this."

"I know. If anything she's mad at Roxas. She can't hold it over you Xion, you didn't know they were together. Most of us didn't, and the ones who did just found in the past two days. She's just hurt because she thinks he kissed her or that it had been going on behind her back." Selphie explained.

"That's not true though! She shouldn't be mad at her boyfriend, I'm the one that messed things up. I kissed him! And he definitely was not cheating on her behind her back." Xion felt guilt flood her system as she realized the problems she had caused they were worse than she could've thought. Xion jumped out of her chair and started pacing, trying to think of a solution.

"Calm down Xion, don't worry. I'm sure we'll get time to explain this to her." Selphie said, standing up and trying to rationalize.

"No Selphie, if Namine really thinks any of that, I need to tell her the truth. I need to fix this." Xion said, grabbing her car keys. She glanced at the clock, seeing it was a little past noon. "Do you know where she is?" Xion asked, turning to Selphie. Xion could tell by the expression on Selphie's face that she knew exactly where Namine was. "Please, I'm begging you, help me make this right."

"I just want you to know, Namine may not be in the right state of mind and may lash out at you. Are you okay enough to handle that?" Selphie was genuinely worried. Despite Namine's lack of bitterness towards the girl in front of her, Selphie knew that Namine was heartbroken and probably didn't want to be anywhere near Xion or Roxas.

"I know, and I'll deal with it. She can call me a boyfriend stealing, back-stabbing bitch all she wants, I can handle it. I don't need forgiveness, I just need her to know the truth." Xion said sincerely. She watched as Selphie contemplated it before she huffed and Xion knew she won.

"She's got a shift at Destiny Dairy. I'll take you, come on." Selphie said, grabbing her keys and smiling at Xion as they ran out the door.

* * *

Namine was instantly relieved the second she stepped through the old fashioned restaurant/ice cream parlor. It was packed, and she welcomed the distraction. Anything that got her mind off of _him _was a gift. Without waiting another minute, she slipped behind the counter.

"Welcome to Destiny Dairy, how may I help you?"

After about thirty minutes, the morning rush had waned a bit but she knew the lunch crowd would be in soon. She busied herself with stupid things she normally wouldn't, like making sure the whipped cream on all the sundaes were perfectly sculpted and that every root beer float had an equal proportion of ice cream and soda.

She needed the distraction. Whenever her mind had time to wander, it went back to him every time. His face was etched into her mind, and she kept seeing it every time she closed her eyes. She remembered that day she was thinking of, it was the day after Christmas. Her mind flashed back to it like it was yesterday.

_Her parents had both gone to her cousin's that day, but she had opted to stay behind. She loved her family but some days the four hour car ride was just not worth it, and today was one of those days. She was sitting in front of the fireplace with her sketchbook. The tree was up, lights on, and the fire was roaring. It was picturesque and she couldn't help but draw it down on paper._

_She was startled by the doorbell ringing and she jumped up to open it. Her heart rate picked up as she opened it to see Roxas on the other side. Roxas and her had been best friends for a while, but she couldn't deny how she felt about him. He was just so complex and intense, and he trusted her and talked to her. He made her laugh and smile without fail everyday, and the things his crooked grin did to her were not the definition of friendship._

_"Roxas? What are you doing here?" She asked, silently inviting him in as she stepped aside. He walked in but instead of taking his shoes off and sitting down like he normally did, he remained standing.. She could immediately tell he had something on his mind. _

_"Namine, I have something to tell you." He said, his voice quiet and she could tell he had been thinking about this for days. _

_"You can tell me anything." She said honestly, grabbing his hand in hers. It was a common gesture for the two of them, but this time it felt like more. She watched as Roxas looked at their hands. He looked back up at her and her baby blue eyes had barely met his cobalt ones before his lips were crashed against hers. _

_It wasn't rough, but it wasn't gentle by any means. It was passionate. She kissed him back with as much as he was giving her- which was all of him. In that moment, with his lips on hers, Namine finally knew why PDA was so popular at school. His lips moved against hers and she felt electrified as she kissed him back. Before it could go any further, Roxas pulled away, taking in deep breaths. He leaned his forehead against hers though, not breaking their contact. She realized she was breathing just as hard as he was._

_"I'm sorry, that was not how your first kiss should've been. I'm just not good with words." He muttered, his eyes still closed. He sighed before taking a step back and opening his eyes. He ran a hand through his hair and watched her anxiously, almost carefully._

_"I've never been one for words." She said quietly, before she crashed her lips back onto his. _

Namine physically shook her head as if that could get the memory out of her head. Her heart literally felt heavy remembering her first kiss. They had spent the rest of that night laying side by side on the couch, talking and laughing and kissing. It had been perfect.

Before Namine could think any further, she saw Selphie step through the door of the building. Right behind her stood Xion, which made Namine's brain stop all thought process. She really didn't know how to feel, but she didn't have a chance to figure it out because the minute Xion saw her, she made her way to the counter.

"Namine, I know I'm the last person you want to see right now, but please let me explain." She pleaded. Namine had an urge to listen to her, but the overwhelming emotions and the vivid memory of Roxas and Xion was much larger.

"Explain what?" Namine said harshly. Before Xion could respond, Selphie walked up to the two of them.

"Guys, how about you go in the back and talk this out. You really don't wanna cause a scene." She suggested, looking around the restaurant. Namine glanced around and saw that their little display had caused a few of the patrons to look their way, and the last thing she wanted was to cause a scene. Xion nodded and wandered to the room behind the counter that said "Employees only". The whole gang was pretty close with Aerith, so they knew that the sign on the door was to keep general customers out.

"I'm not sure I want to hear what she has to say." Namine said, and she couldn't help the bitterness that seeped into her voice.

"Nam, I know you're going through a lot. But you know it's not her fault." Selphie said persistently. "She didn't know you were together, and you need to listen to her. Please, she feels terrible. You don't have to forgive her, just listen, okay?" Something about Selphie's tone got through to Namine and the blonde nodded even though she felt a whirlwind of emotions.

"Alright, thanks Selphie." Namine said quietly before turning and rushing through the door. Xion was pacing back and forth despite the couch that was pushed against the wall. "Alright, I'll listen. But you're got five minutes." Namine said, trying her best to be kind because despite the situation, Selphie was right. Xion was unaware that her and Roxas are... or were, dating.

"That's all I'm asking for. I know what you saw last night, and I know what you think. But I kissed Roxas. He didn't start it, and he didn't kiss me back at all." Xion said quickly. Namine hadn't even thought about this. "I kissed him because I have feelings for him, and I knew he liked somebody. I planned on telling him how I felt, but I just kissed him because he was distracted and running around his room and stuff. I never would have kissed him if I knew you were together. I just needed him to know how I felt, or I'd regret it. But I need you to know that Roxas had nothing to do with it." She finished, taking a deep breath once she finished. She had barely taken a breath between her sentences and Namine let all this new information sink in.

Xion felt guilty. And Xion liked Roxas. And she just wanted to tell him how she felt so she wouldn't regret it. Namine felt herself feeling stupid for being so bitter towards the girl. She had no idea the two of them were together, so could Namine really be mad at her? Well, she kissed her boyfriend, but Xion didn't know he was her boyfriend.

"Before you say anything, I'm not asking forgiveness. I'd be pissed too if some chick kissed my boyfriend, even if she didn't know he was my boyfriend to begin with. I just needed you to know that this was not Roxas's fault. He'd never cheat on you, he's not the type. It was all just one big misunderstanding. If you're going to forgive someone, forgive him. He'd never hurt you like this. He loves you, you know." Xion said. And before Namine could respond, Xion gave her a quick smile and quickly opened the door, walking out.

Namine was completely overwhelmed, her body was incapable of moving. Her mind was racing. Roxas loved her? How could Xion possibly know that. She probably just assumed, right? But what about the rest of it. She was feeling whole again knowing that Roxas didn't do it. In fact, Xion owned up to it and said Roxas did everything in his power for it to not happen. He didn't kiss her back when she kissed him, he ran after her to try to explain... he loved her. And she knew for a fact Roxas had tried calling her all night because her phone vibrated for about fifteen minutes straight with notifications when she turned it back on that morning. There were more texts, missed calls and voicemails then she knew how to handle.

But could she forgive him? It wasn't his fault, and she didn't blame Xion either, but the fact still stood that he kissed another girl, whether or not it was voluntary. Namine knew he didn't kiss her back and he pushed her away as fast as he could, but Roxas had another girl's lips pressed against his. The image was burned into her brain.

Suddenly, she had a question for Xion. She raced out of the back room as fast as she possibly could, but Selphie and Xion were nowhere to be found. She looked out the window and was relieved to see Selphie's bright red car parked outside, and the two of them leaning against it eating ice cream.

Namine ran outside and up to them as fast as she could. They looked confused and surprised but Namine ignored it.

"Did you feel anything when he kissed you?"

"What?" Xion was confused and it was probably because Namine's sentence had come out incoherent due to her lack of breath.

"Did you feel anything when he kissed you? Sparks, butterflies, electricity, anything?" She asked. She watched as Xion's expression became thoughtful and was relieved when the girl in question shook her head.

"Nope, just stillness and rejection." Namine couldn't help the smile that spread across her face as she turned and ran back inside.

"Thanks Xion!" She yelled over her shoulder, digging around in her pockets for her phone. She pulled it out only to see it was dead. _Well, there goes calling Roxas_.

She sighed and got back to work, a smile on her face as she let everything swirl around in her mind. She couldn't believe it, but her heart felt like it was slowly mending itself the longer she thought about it. It was ridiculous, really. The whole thing was just a misunderstanding. Of course she still hurt and her and Roxas would have to have a long conversation about this, but something this unimportant was not worth throwing the past six months away for.

Before she knew it, it was one o'clock and the lunch rush started coming in. It was absolutely packed. The inside tables were all used up, as were the booths and the bar space. Even the picnic tables outside were filled up. It didn't make a difference though, the Destiny Dairy happened to be a tourist trap but the locals loved it too much to give it up, therefore it was often one of the most packed places on the island.

Namine noticed many faces, there were vacationers and tourists and locals, all packed into the small building. She saw a horde of Roxas's admirers huddled in a booth and she couldn't help but roll her eyes as they all giggled and gushed over a phone. Now that Namine thought about it, there were a lot of girls in the building. _'Huh, that's strange.' _She thought to herself. It's not that they were girls, it's that they were all familiar. And they had all finished their food or ice cream a while ago, so why were they still there?

Namine started to head over to the furthest and most occupied booth, ready to tell them there were other customers waiting when she heard a voice that made her stop dead in her tracks.

"Excuse me, can I have everyone's attention please?!" He wasn't yelling, but he had to talk loudly over the chatter of the customers. Namine would know that voice anywhere. It was Roxas. She slowly turned around and she saw him standing on a chair, straight across from her on the other side of the room. His eyes were locked on hers and she didn't dare look away. Aerith was just smiling softly, behind the counter, there was no doubt she had given him permission to do this. All of the background noise had died away and all attention was on Roxas.

"I would like to announce that Namine White is my girlfriend, and she has been for the past six months." He gestured over to where Namine stood and she felt every single teenage girl in the room glare at her, but she couldn't care less. She was only looking at Roxas. "Well, she was my girlfriend until I screwed it up." He paused as a few of the older patrons chuckled, probably remembering their own personal experiences. "But I'm hoping that she forgives me and will continue to be my girlfriend." At this point he hopped off the chair and began walking towards her. "Because to be honest she's the most amazing girl I have ever met. I don't know what I'd do without her. I know, I know, I'm seventeen right? What the hell do I know. And you're right, I don't know much about relationships and stuff, but I do know this. I love you Namine. And I'm sorry if I hurt you, but I'm completely in love with you and if you'd give me the chance, I'd spend every day making it up to you." He grabbed her hand in his and she was too stunned to speak, so she simply nodded. His eyes lit up at her reply and he didn't wait to bend down and press his lips to hers. They could hear their tiny audience clapping around them, but they didn't mind all that much. Namine was just happy to be back to normal.

When he finally pulled away, Roxas put his hand against her cheek, forcing her to hold his gaze. "I meant it Nam. I love you. I'm in love with you." His dark blue eyes were bright and sincere and Namine knew she should make him grovel and earn it, but she just didn't have the strength to do that. So instead, she replied with-

"I love you too Roxas." She was glad the customers had gone back to their conversations and their plates because she didn't want to share this moment with anyone. Namine grabbed his hand and went to walk back around the counter but Aerith stopped her.

"You go on, take the rest of the day off. I'll cover the rest of your shift." She said kindly, smiling at the young couple in front of her.

"Are you sure?" Namine asked hesitantly. Aerith just nodded and gave Roxas a little shove towards the door.

"Of course, just don't do anything stupid kids!" She called out as they walked out the door, hand in hand.

"You know," Roxas said, not bothering to hide the huge grin on his face. "I expected to do a bit of begging and some groveling here and there." He teased lightly.

"Well, Xion stopped by before you made your little performance. She told me everything and I figured why bother waiting. It was just a misunderstanding, definitely not something worth throwing away what we have." Namine said as she slid in the passenger seat of his car.

Roxas scowled at the mention of Xion. "Yeah, some misunderstanding. She kissed me!" He sad angrily, pulling out of the parking lot and driving off towards her house.

"Look, you need to talk to her about that, I'm not getting involved. But be easy on her, okay? It's not like she knew we were together." Namine explained. Somehow she had gone from being bitter and hurting to reasonable and smiling in the span of three hours. Roxas sighed and loosened his grip on the steering wheel.

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

"Speaking of us being together, I'm pretty sure everyone who didn't know sure as hell does now. Why were there so many of your fan-girls in there?" Namine asked suspiciously, her mind wandering back to the glaring daggers she received from the angry teenage girls. Roxas just held up his phone sheepishly.

"Kairi may have had an idea." He admitted. Namine just laughed as they pulled into her driveway. She leaned over and kissed her boyfriend on the cheek.

"Well I'm glad she helped you. Without her you'd probably be miserably moping about in bed." Namine said, getting out of the car. Roxas chucked because his girlfriend had no idea how right she was. They stepped inside and walked into the kitchen. The first thing Roxas saw was a giant pile of Tupperware sitting on the kitchen table. He realized what it was and sighed as he walked back out to the living room, sitting in one of the comfy chairs.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Namine asked as she came back in with a plate full of brownies

"I hurt you." Roxas said, his voice low. "That's the one thing I never wanted, and I did it." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. Namine sighed and plopped down on the arm of the chair.

"All that came out of it was a whole bunch of baked goods and some tears. Trust me, it could've been a lot worse. Besides, we're together, right? That's all that matters." Namine said, handing him a brownie. Roxas smiled as she took a small bite out of her own brownie. God, she was adorable.

"Yes, and now everybody knows too. That reminds me, I got you something." He said, reaching into his pocket. He felt the small white box and took it out, handing it to his wide-eyes girlfriend. "Happy six months Nam." He said happily as he opened it for her. He untied the ribbon and lifted the lid. Inside lay a silver necklace with a small blue turquiose heart hanging off the chain. It looked beautiful just laying on the black velvet.

"I can't take this." She said quietly, looking down at her boyfriend. Roxas ignored her and stood up, necklace in hand. He gently clasped the necklace behind her neck, walking back around to face her.

"Yes, you can. It's your birthstone, and I thought of you when I saw it, so..." He trailed off and she looked up at him with that small smile of hers.

"Thank you. I had a gift for you, but uh... after last night, I-"

"It's alright. I don't need it. All I want is to be forgiven. I swear I'll never hurt you again." He said sincerely, frowning as he remembered her face last night. His thoughts were interrupted as she gently pressed her lips to his.

"Don't worry, I forgave you the second Xion told me she didn't feel anything when she kissed you." Namine said, taking another bite out of her brownie.

"What?"

"I asked Xion if she felt anything when she kissed you and she said she didn't." Namine replied coolly.

"What does that have to do with it?" Roxas asked confused. He watched as his girlfriend stayed silent. She put the brownie back on the tray and shifted her seat from the armchair to his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and once their eyes were locked, she spoke.

"Because I know if you would have kissed her back, even the tiniest bit, she would've felt electrified." She said, a smirk playing it's way onto her lips. It didn't stay there for long as Roxas crashed his lips onto hers.

* * *

"And to think that four days ago, everything was completely different." I said quietly. I was laying on my side, my head rested on Sora's shoulder with his arm wrapped around me. It felt nice, comforting... it felt right. It was natural to be with him like this, like puzzle pieces that had finally fallen together.

"I know right? Man, Tidus is gonna have a lot of catching up to do." Sora said. We both laughed and I leaned myself up on elbow to look at him.

"How do you think everyone will react to us?" I asked him curiously. The question had been on my mind that whole day.

"Well, unless one of our friends is harboring a secret crush on you I think we'll be good." Sora said teasingly, reaching up to push a strand of my hair back behind my ear. "Besides Riku, the only people left are Selphie, Tidus and Xion. Selphie has already claimed that she and Tidus will remain Team Switzerland in any and all relationship related drama, and Xion liked Roxas, not me so I think we're in the clear."

"Well what if Riku is harboring a secret crush on me?" I asked, amused by the question because I knew the truth. Riku had had a crush on me, but it didn't last very long.

"Then I'll have some competition, won't I?" Sora said with an equally amused tone. I laughed and fell back on my bed, smiling. This was perfect, and I couldn't be happier.

"Sora, I know you were joking but you could never have competition." I said quietly, burying my face in the crook of his neck as he wrapped his arm around me again. I let my lips touch the skin there gently, almost ghosting over it before pulling back and looking at him.

"The same goes for you Kai. I love you, you know that?" He asked. I just nodded and pressed another kiss to his lips before plopping back down on the bed.

"I know. I love you too Sora."

* * *

**A.N.- So there, a happy ending, no cliff hanger, and that concludes the first arc of the story. There will be more Rokunami and Sokai, but there will also be a lot more friendshippy moments coming up so get ready. It'll take a chapter or two to transition from this arc into the next but be warned, I have a bad idea for Xion and Riku. And by bad idea I mean a great idea that you'll love me and hate me for at the same time. If that makes sense. Well I hope the fluff didn't overload your senses and it wasn't too cheesy. I just didn't want to blow up their fight, you know? And no Roxas is not a fluffy person, I get that but the idea was to put himself on the line in a very public confession to get her back, even though she was already his.**

**Well, let me know how you felt about it, I'll try and update soon! Thank you all very much for reading.**


	9. Riptide

**A.N.- Special thanks to Anatoria, twirlingdevine, and sorasky for the reviews! And thank you to anyone who has reviewed/favorited/followed this story so far, you guys are awesome! Oh and as far as the timeline goes, chapter 8 takes place on Wednesday, so it's two days after the last Chapter. Basically, it's nearly two weeks into summer. It's about the end of June, and the next month is July. I have a lot planned but without further babbling, enjoy!**

**P.S.- ****I suggest listening to the songs the chapters are named after while you read, after all I listen to it on repeat while I write them.**

**WARNING: This chapter has some... relatively suggestive content, nothing explicit though. T rating, just a heads up.**

**Riptide (by Vance Joy)**

* * *

"Friends and family, we are gathered here today to-"

"Oh, cut the crap Axel, you better have woken me up at eight o'clock this morning for a good reason." Riku mumbled, causing the rest of us to laugh. The red headed pyromaniac started a group message at eight o'clock this morning. All the message read was "EMERGENCY MEETING, CID'S, 9 AM" and he wouldn't respond to any of us when we asked what was so urgent.

Cid's was relatively empty due to the fact it was a Wednesday morning. The seven of us sat around the long bar-like counter at the front of the shop and Axel stood on the other side. Tidus was still at his athletic training camp. We all had a bagel or donut (courtesy of Cid) in front of us. The seating order went Roxas, Namine, me, Sora, Riku, Xion, and Selphie. Roxas had made it clear that he wanted to be as far from Xion as possible, though Namine didn't seem to be as affected by her presence.

"Alright, I'll get to the point." He said, shaking his head at the interruption and reaching into his back pocket. "But you're gonna regret throwing your attitude around in a second Riku, because... I have planned an awesome day trip to the Deep Jungle!" He pulled out several tickets from his pocket as he finished. Sure enough, they were the signature dark green tickets. All of our jaws dropped and we just exchanged surprised looks at each other. The Deep Jungle was a brand new amusement park that had just opened up in the spring. It's main attraction was it's huge obstacle course that was nearly impossible. Only a handful of people had beaten it since it opened. The obstacle course was what made it so much different from other parks. It was difficult, but that made it all the more fun. Of course, none of us had been there yet, we'd only heard about it. It was really hard to get tickets due to its high popularity.

"Are you serious?" Riku exclaimed, jumping out of his seat and reaching for the tickets Axel held in his hand. However, the red-head held the tickets above his head, way too high for the younger boy to reach them.

"Completely, but I'm not sure one of these is labeled 'For silver-haired pretty boy with an attitude problem'." Axel teased with a slight smirk. I laughed along with the rest of them as Riku scowled, and Axel caved in and handed out all our tickets.

When he handed me mine, I examined it carefully. "So, when are we going?" Sora asked beside me. I looked up and glanced at my boyfriend next to me.

"Well I heard on Friday, they're giving concert tickets for Melodious Nocturne to the winners, so I reserved ten spots." Axel said, leaning against the counter.

"Wait, ten?" I asked, looking up.

"Well the rules are that you have to be partnered up when you do the obstacle course. You can't do it by yourself or in a big group. I figured the eight of you will pair up and that left me out so I got one for Larxene too." He explained.

"And you said it's Friday? As in this Friday, that's two days from now?" Roxas asked from the end of the counter.

"Yeah, I know I should've asked you guys first in case any of you had work, but I wanted to surprise everybody."

"Well, me and Roxas are off. What about the rest of you guys?" Sora asked, looking back over me.

"I'm off." Namine said from beside Roxas. The rest of the group looked at me, since I was the only one left with an actual job.

"I had a morning shift, but I think Yuffie would be willing to cover." I said.

"Great, so it's settled then." Axel said, looking around at all of us. I glanced down at the ticket in my hand once again, feeling excitement set in. These tickets were probably really hard to get and I was psyched for Friday. Sora and I would be unstoppable.

"Thanks Axel, it was really thoughtful of you to do this." I added, smiling up at him. The rest of the group chorused my thoughts and we all sat for a minute, discussing car pools and partnerships.

"Alright kids, as much as I like you guys you should probably get going." Cid said, walking out from the kitchen in the back room. I glanced around and noticed that a few customers had wandered in during our little meeting.

"You're right. Thanks for the food Cid!" Sora said as we all hopped off our chairs and started making our way to the door. My hand automatically went for his hand and I felt him lace his fingers through mine as we walked out the door. We'd only been together for a few days, but it felt natural. It wasn't the forced kind of hand-holding, I did it without a second thought. However, if I had been thinking, I would **not **have grabbed his hand because I knew what would follow when I did.

"Sora... Kairi... why are you guys holding hands?" Selphie asked timidly from behind us. I stopped walking and looked down at our hands, realizing that they were intertwined. I pulled it away from him so fast you'd think I got burnt. I looked up at Sora who was wide-eyed but smiling and I couldn't help but blush as I tried to rack my brain for an excuse.

"Don't you guys know? They're a thing now. Geez, you'd think it was Valentine's Day with the way you guys are getting together." Axel said as he breezed by us. "Well, looks like you've got a bit of explaining to do, see you later!" He called over his shoulder as he turned the corner of the town square.

I glanced over at the rest of our friends. Xion, Riku, and Selphie didn't look shocked or anything, which was weird because they were all completely unaware of the new development in our relationship. Namine was just smiling at us and Roxas looked like he wished he had left with Axel.

"Well it's about damn time. I was getting pretty tired of all the flirting and obliviousness." Riku said with a smirk before the rest of them burst out laughing. I felt my face heat up at their reactions.

"What are you talking about?" Sora asked, running a hand through his spiky hair. He looked just as confused as I did.

"Oh please! You guys have been like this since middle school. It was actually painful to watch you two dance around each other all the time." Xion explained as we started walking back towards the beach.

"You mean you guys knew?" I asked, my hand finding its way back to Sora's.

"Yeah, sorry guys but everybody knew. Why do you think Cloud pushed your buttons so much Sora." Selphie said.

"Alright, changing subjects, I can't believe Axel got us tickets to the Deep Jungle." Namine said. I shot her a thankful look and she just smiled back.

"Oh that reminds me, I should let Tidus know about that." Selphie said, whipping out her phone.

"Tidus huh? I never thought I'd see the day when Selphie Tilmitt got a boyfriend." Riku said with a light teasing tone.

"It's not like that Riku, we're friends." Selphie said with a roll of her eyes. I laughed at the display. Those two fought like cats and dogs but when it came down to it, they cared about each other.

"Alright, whatever you say. As fun as this was, I'm stealing Xion away. We'll catch up with you later." Riku said. We all said our goodbyes as the two walked off towards the pier, well, _almost _all of us. Roxas had stayed silent ever since we left Cid's. We all knew why, and we all knew better than to address it.

"So, what time are you guys getting off?" I asked curiously as we walked up the stairs and onto the boardwalk. Surf's Up was just over a block away, and the guys had the same shift as always.

"We're getting off around three again. At least, I think." Sora answered, smiling down at me.

"Well we're gonna be at the beach all day anyway. You should stop by when you're done." Namine added. I nodded and glanced behind us at Selphie who was a few steps behind us.

"You're still coming, right Selphie?" I asked. She nodded and I smiled at her. We had planned a girl's day the night before, and due to all the... drama that had happened in the past week, we had thought it best to leave Xion out of it. I had nothing against her and neither did Selphie, she was our friend. We just weren't sure how Namine felt about the whole thing.

We arrived at Surf's Up, interrupting my thoughts and ending my time with Sora.

"Well, I'm gonna go set up on the beach, meet me down there!" Selphie said before practically skipping down the ramp and onto the sand. I laughed at my friend's bubbly personality before turning back to Sora. He smiled down at me and I beamed back up at him and it felt like a scene from some chick flick that was over the top mushy but I was so happy that I just didn't care.

"I'll see you later, okay?" He said, his eyes locked on mine. I just nodded and stood on my toes, pressing my lips against his before pulling away.

"Don't give Wakka too much trouble." I said. He just nodded and I smiled and turned around, walking down the ramp. Namine was right behind me, and she was shooting me one of those looks that she has.

"What is it Nam?" I asked lightly as we made our way over to where Selphie had laid down her towel and was already lathering on the tanning oil.

"You guys are just cute together, that's all. You're in the honeymoon phase where you're all blissed out over each other and it's about time too." She replied with a laugh at the end.

"So you knew all this time too, huh?" I asked, fanning out my own towel next to Selphie's and taking a seat.

"You could say that. I've known for a while how Sora felt about you actually, but I was never sure about you. I had a feeling though." She said smugly, plopping down beside me.

"Hey, you're the one who managed to sneak around with Roxas for months, mind telling us about that?" I asked. Selphie shot up faster than the time I told her that Victoria's Secret AND Forever 21 was having a huge sale.

"Ooooh I wanna hear about this." She said and I laughed as I watched Namine blushed.

"There's not much to tell guys." She said quietly, but the smile tugging at her lips totally gave her away.

"Oh please, your face says differently." I said, laughing as I talked.

"Come on, you were always sweet little Nam, never been kissed and all that and now you're with Roxas! In the words of our classmates, 'undateable, broody, hot' Roxas. You gotta give us something." Selphie was pratically vibrating with anticipation.

"Alright, well what do you guys want to hear about?" She said, finally caving in.

"Well you guys have been together six months, right?" I asked.

"Since the 26th, yes."

"How'd he ask you out? How'd you guys even get that close?" I knew they were friends but they must have been better friends than I thought.

"I'll start from the beginning. Sometime during sophomore year, Sora mentioned that Roxas wasn't as... intimidating as everybody made him out to be. I listened to what he said and tried to talk to Roxas outside of the group. He was pretty tough to crack, he really didn't want to talk to me at first. I'd always ask him basic questions and I slowly learned more about him, but it was just what was on the surface. It was what everybody else knew, he never told me anything with substance. We talked about schedules and the rest of you guys, but I didn't know anything real. So I kept pushing. And one day, I was just working in the ceramics room at school and he walked in and asked 'Why me?'. I knew what he meant. I didn't have to keep talking to him, especially when he made it so hard. But I saw something else, I knew there was something under that rock hard surface, something more. There was someone I wanted to know, like, really know. And I told him that. He plopped down next to me and asked another question. He asked 'Let me ask a question for a change. Why do you love art so much?'. So I told him why and ever since that day, we never stopped talking. I learned something new about him everyday.

"As far as asking me out, he did that the day after Christmas. Well, he didn't really ask, it just... kind of happened." She said, her cheeks bright red and a small smile on her mouth.

"Oh really, and how did it just kind of happen?" I asked, sending her a smug smile. She just blushed even more if that was possible.

"Awww, Namine you guys are so cute together. So what's he really like, ya know, beneath all the brooding exterior?" Selphie asked, taking her sunglasses off and tilting her head to the side.

"It's really hard to say. It sounds stupid, but I really can't remember not knowing him the way I do now. He's very complex, and he does everything with intensity. Some days we have conversations that last for hours, and other days we barely speak, but it's in a good way. We spend those days with each other and all, we just don't need words."

"Wow, you guys even sound intense." It came out joking but it was true. The way she described their relationship was so deep and complex and intense, that when I compared it to mine and Sora's (despite it's current blooming state), it seems so different. That's when it dawned on me. "Have you guys said... the L-word yet?" I asked.

"You mean love?" Selphie asked. I nodded and turned back to Namine, anxious for her answer.

"Yeah, but we don't throw it around every day. It's something that we both take really seriously." She said, a light pink tinging her cheeks.

"Wait, I'm not trying to be rude or nosy but have you guys... you know?" Selphie asked, her eyes wide. My eyes widened as I realized what she meant.

"No! No we haven't I mean..." Namine stumbled over her words and she was as red as a tomato by that point. She took a deep breath in and closed her eyes for a moment before looking around us to see if anyone was listening. "No, we haven't had... sex. I mean, we've done some... stuff, but Roxas is just really..." She trailed off, and I could tell she wanted to tell us, she just couldn't find the right word.

"Really what?" I asked, suddenly worried for my best friend's relationship. Is he pushy? Was he trying to get her to do something she wasn't ready for or didn't want to do?

"He just really doesn't want to rush things." She said, the same shy smile spreading across her lips. I sighed in relief. " Despite all the rumors, he wasn't lying that night of truth or dare." My mind flashed back to the first night of summer, and despite the haziness, I remembered what she was talking about. _'Oh yeah, Roxas is a virgin too'. _I glanced over at Selphie who looked a bit confused but I'd have to fill her in later. "I can tell that he wants to, he just doesn't want to push me or anything. It's really sweet actually. He says that he doesn't want to do anything until I'm absolutely ready for it. And usually, he can read me like a book, but..." She trailed off again, biting her lip and looking down at the sand.

"But what woman!?" Selphie asked, nearly falling off her towel in anticipation. I smirked at her even though I felt exactly the same way.

"But I want to." Namine rushed out, her face immediately flushing with her confession. Selphie squealed and fell back onto her towel and my jaw dropped in surprise. Who knew little Namine could be... not so innocent? "Guys, please don't tell anybody, especially Roxas. It's just I've been thinking about it lately, okay?" She pleaded. Selphie and I nodded, and I knew neither of us would tell anybody.

"Don't worry Namine, your secret is safe with me. The only reason I asked was because I wasn't sure how much of the rumor mill was true and I did not want one of my best girl friends getting chlamydia." Selphie exclaimed, making a gross face. I laughed, of course she'd be pre-occupied with safe sex and not the juicy details. It was Selphie after all. We all laughed for a moment before we settled down and I thought about the conversation we just had.

"If you think you're ready, then go for it Nam." I encouraged, shooting a smile at my best friend. "Roxas will treat you right, I can guarantee that. But if you don't mind me asking, would you guys even be able to... you know what with parents and all that?"

"Um, about that... I've slept over his house before." She mumbled, tracing circles in the sand.

"You what?!" I asked, surprised by that bit on information.

"We don't do anything other than sleep Kairi. Okay, maybe we make out a bit, but that's it. Anyways, getting back to the point, his parents are divorced, and he lives with his father. His father is a doctor at Destiny Island Memorial Hospital, so he has night shifts sometimes." She explained.

"And your parents just let you go?" Selphie asked.

"Well, I kind of tell her I'm going over to Kairi's and she doesn't question it." Namine admitted, looking over at me with a smirk. Wow, Namine was definitely not as innocent as everyone thought.

"But instead you sneak over to Roxas's and spend the night together." Selphie finished, piecing the puzzle together for herself.

"Exactly. You guys know how my parents were out of town the last few days of school?" She asked. I vaguely remembered her saying something about it, and apparently Selphie did too because we nodded.

"Well that night I asked Roxas to spend at my house. You know, for a change and we talked about it." Namine said, her cheeks still burning. I'm pretty sure the color hadn't left her cheeks once this whole time. "He said that whenever I decided I was ready, he'd make it special. And I've been thinking about it more and more lately so I guess we'll see." She finished.

"Aw, I didn't know Roxas could be so sentimental." Selphie said lightly.

"I know, he'd kill me if he found out I was telling you guys all this. But I can't help it, it feels so good to finally tell somebody." Namine said, leaning back on her hands, tilting her head up to the sun.

"Don't worry Namine, everything will stay between the three of us." I reassured her.

"Speaking of everything, how are you and Sora Kairi?" She asked, her eyes glancing at me sideways as she smirked. It was my turn to blush as I felt my face heat up.

"Yeah Kairi, how come I just found out about this today!?" Selphie asked, bolting back up into a sitting position. Oh how the tables have turned.

"It just happened three days ago Selphie." I said, laughing. "We were kind of nervous to come clean, we didn't know how the group would react."

"Trust me, you had nothing to worry about. It was inevitable, we could all see how you felt about each other." Selphie said, giving me a kind smile.

"So, what have the past three days been like for you?" Namine asked, the smug look still very much in place on her blush-free face. I returned her smirk and was about to wipe it right off her face

"Filled with lots and lots of sex." I said, very seriously despite my smirk. I burst out laughing the second her eyebrows shot up to her hairline and her mouth gaped open like a fish. "I'm totally kidding! There was definitely making out but nothing more than PG-13 I swear." I said, laughing as her and Selphie shot each other looks.

"Not funny Kairi, I thought you were serious for a second." Namine said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Seriously though, how's it going with Sora? I mean, you guys have been friends for so long, isn't it kind of weird being in a relationship after all this time?" Selphie asked.

"No, not at all. It's really easy. I've had feelings for him for so long, and now that I get to act on them it's great. I'm dating my best friend, that's what every girl dreams about. Everything with him is so natural, you know? We're not in love, not yet. I love him and I have deep feelings for him, but listening to Namine about her and Roxas... we don't have that. Not yet. But I know we will." It was like I couldn't control my mouth, and my brain had no control. The words just kept tumbling out but it was a good thing. I watched as Selphie and Namine smiled at me and I felt the heat creep up my neck and into my cheeks. "Cheesy and stupid right?"

"No, I think it's great that you're so happy." Namine said, her smile genuine and her eyes sincere.

"Yeah, it's about time. I just hate being the fifth wheel." Selphie joked, nestling back onto her towel and slipping her sunglasses back over her face. Namine looked at me and I knew we were thinking about the same thing.

"So Selphie, how's Tidus these days?" I asked innocently.

"He's good. He says training camp is really tough but it's paying off. He also said he's in for Friday, but I haven't told him any of this coupley stuff. There's way too much to explain over text." She rambled on and on, clueless as to what we were trying to hint at.

"Then why don't you call him?" Namine asked subtly, the tone in her voice suggesting something more.

"Because it's not like that guys." She sighed, sitting back up and taking her sunglasses off, once again. She tends to do that in the middle of a discussion. "We're friends. He's good looking, yes. He's kind and thoughtful, yes. But those are basic facts. He'll make a great boyfriend for somebody, don't get me wrong. But we're just starting to get to know each other. Besides, next year I'll hopefully be in some early admissions program at Hollow Bastion and he'll be training for football or blitzball at the big athletic college he goes to. Maybe he'll even end up at Radiant Garden University. I hear it has a wonderful sports program."

"Okay, I get that you're just getting back your friendship back. But if you think he's such a great guy, why don't you think it's worth the risk?" I asked. She sat up and looked at me pointedly.

"Say we do get together or something after getting to know each other, which would take a while. What happens when we go our separate ways in less than a year? What's the point if you know there's an expiration date on the horizon? It's not like that with you guys and your boyfriends. You could very well all end up at the same college, and you have such a strong foundation. I don't even know Tidus's middle name yet. I've spoken to his mother about twice in the past four years. And who knows, maybe it wouldn't work out. Trust me guys, I don't think about Tidus that way. Maybe if this had happened a year or two ago, it'd be different, but I'm good with my life. I have an awesome group of friends, I'm getting to know someone that I've missed, and I have a shot at valedictorian. Life is good, I'm happy. So don't worry about me guys, I don't need a boyfriend. To be honest, I'm not even sure I could fit one into my AP's next year." She finished with a laugh.

I felt the guilt seep in as I realized how much everyone's been pestering her about them. I understood her. She had a right to like who ever she wanted, and maybe she didn't like Tidus. And if she did, she didn't see the outcome to be pleasant, so why risk it? I'd known Selphie for years, this was the girl who brought a calculator to the mall so she could calculate sales tax and whatnot. She neverdid anything without thinking it through to a T.

"Sorry Selph, I didn't realize it was like that. I just wanted to make sure you weren't holding back your happiness for some dumb reason like 'What if he doesn't like me back'." I said, taking a shot at my own self esteem. She merely laughed and slipped her sunglasses back on.

"It's okay guys. I'm lucky to have friends that care so much. But Mr. Sun is the only man I need in my life." She sighed with content and resumed her tanning. For a smart girl who knew how bad the sun's radiation was and how it could cause skin cancer, Selphie sure loved tanning. But that was who she was, and she was my best friend for it.

I just shared a smile with Namine and we started lathering up in sunscreen. Selphie may be willing to risk her skin for some color, but if health meant being pale and pasty, so be it.

* * *

"That's gonna take some getting used to." Sora said, staring at the girls as they made their way down the ramp. Roxas just rolled his eyes and shoved his friend. The both started laughing as they turned around and walked through the doors. "You know, I thought things would kind of be different now but it's all still the same. You know, except for the kissing part."

"That's because you and Kairi might as well have been together the past six years." Roxas said, rolling his eyes as they walked behind the counter and relieved Neku of the morning shift.

"Yeah, I guess so. Speaking of our girlfriends, you and Namine huh?" Sora asked, plopping into one of the chairs since the store was empty for the moment.

"Who would've guessed, right?" Roxas asked, playing with the display case.

"I didn't mean it like that. You guys are so different compared to me and Kairi. For example, we're both so alike. Outgoing and friendly. Then you and Namine are different. She's so simple and clean, and you're like a rubix cube. But it works." Roxas wasn't really sure what to make of his friend's rambling so he just looked at Sora, confused. "What I'm trying to say is she's good for you. You two kind of balance each other out."

That made much more sense. Roxas smiled and nodded.

"Thanks, I guess. It was about time you got the guts to tell Kairi, though. I was starting to think you two might never get together." He said, shooting Sora a smirk. Sora opened his mouth to reply but before he could speak Wakka burst into the room.

"Wow man you finally got with little red? Never thought I'd see the day. Now quit talking 'bout girls and get to work ya lazy bums!"

* * *

"So, what are your plans for today?"Riku's best friend asked as they made their way towards his car. He had given Xion a ride that morning and he parked by the pier.

"Well given the past few days, I figured we should do something fun, something we haven't done in a while, just the two of us." He said, looking down at her. He noticed her eyelashes were longer and darker and that her lips were pinker, but he didn't say anything. She had slowly begun adding makeup to her daily routine, and Riku was starting to get used to it. He thought she looked great either way, but if she wanted to wear makeup then who was he to stop her? He was sure now that she was doing it for herself, and that's all that mattered.

She looked back at him and smiled as they maade their way towards the car. If he was a stranger looking at his best friend, he'd think she was actually happy. He was surprised by how fast Xion had gotten on with everything. It was as if she never really liked Roxas.

"And what would that be? Hopefully something other than surfing and skateboarding." Xion said with a smile as she climbed into the car beside him. Riku had spent the day before with her. They had gone surfing in the morning with a few of their other buddies and later that night, they had tried to go skateboarding, but the skate park had been too crowded. Today, he had a plan, and he knew for a fact nobody would be there.

"It's a surprise." Riku said, his lips curving into a smile as he shifted gears and pulled out of the spot, driving towards the very west coast of Destiny Islands.

"Aw come on, please tell me!" Riku glanced over and Xion was giving him the puppy dog look. He just laughed and shook his head, and when she huffed in frustration he couldn't help but smile even wider. Ever since Monday, she'd been so different and he couldn't help but notice that she was actually... happy. A few minutes passed by in silence and it was almost comfortable except for the fact Xion was secretly sulking on the passenger side.

"Well, if you pay attention to the direction I'm going maybe you'll figure it out." He caved and told her. She sat up quickly and glanced out the window, looking at the road. It was the same road that led up to Leon's house, the wealthiest part of the island. Her face lit up and she turned to face him, a smile on her face.

"We're not going where I think we're going, are we?" She asked. Riku just glanced at her before looking back at the road.

"We'll see." He asked smugly. He watched out of the corner of his eye as she smiled and settled back into her seat.

Twenty minutes later, he pulled up in front of a big, two story house. It was probably one of the best on the islands, not to mention one of the most expensive. Leon's house was a ten minute drive from there **(1). **

The house was white and had a large balcony across the front of the top story. Pillars ran up from the porch to the balcony and there were rose bushes lining the front of the house. The shutters were light blue and it was the most picturesque house you could probably imagine.

"We haven't been here since April." Xion said, stepping out of the car. She turned to Riku and her smile couldn't be contained. She was grinning and her eyes were completely lit up. "You know how much I love your grandmother and her lake house, right?" His grandmother was one of the oldest, yet wealthiest people on the island and she absolutely adored Xion.

"Of course, why do you think we're here?" He asked, leading her up the concrete stairs and knocked on the big wooden door. After a few moments, the door swung open to reveal a small, silver haired lady with glasses. She looked like a porcelain doll.

"Oh Riku, look who you've brought!" She gushed, her voice one of those high and sweet voices grandmothers tend to have.

"Hello Margerie! How are you doing?" Xion asked, stepping in the foyer and enveloping the frail woman in a gentle hug.

"It's been lovely weather up here. I haven't seen you in so long." She said the last part, shooting Riku a look. Xion just laughed as Riku hugged his grandmother as well.

"Sorry Gran, I'll have to bring her around more often." He said as they all made their way towards the kitchen. There was a pitcher of lemonade and a plate of brownies out and the windows were all open.

Riku knew how much Xion loved this house, and it showed. He watched her walk over to the screen door that led to the back porch. She opened it and leaned out, closing her eyes as the lake breeze blew her hair back. Her lips were curved into the sweetest smile and Riku thought she looked beautiful.

"That one's a keeper you know." His Gran whispered as she elbowed him in the ribs. He laughed and nodded before walking ahead and grabbing Xion's head, pulling her towards the lake.

"We'll be back in a bit Gran!" He yelled over his shoulder as they walked towards the lake. Riku let go of Xion's hand and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Sorry it's been a while since I've taken you here." He admitted, rubbing a hand on the back of his neck.

"Better late than never, right?" Xion asked. He looked down to see her smiling up at him before she sprinted off. "Last one to the canoe has to paddle!" She yelled, already running towards the dock.

"That's cheating!" Riku yelled back, catching up to her in no time. They were both laughing and out of breath by the time they got to the canoe. Even though Xion had lost, Riku ended up paddling them out into the middle of the lake.

"This place is perfect. Remember last summer, we used to come up here at least once a week?" Xion asked. She was leaning on the edge of the canoe, her fingers swirling in the water below them.

"Yeah, except back then, all you ever talked about was Roxas." Riku said, trying to subtly ease into the conversation. Xion sighed and looked up at him, resting her chin in her hand.

"I know. Ever since Monday, I just feel so... free. It's like I let go of this big weight. It's weird, I thought I'd feel _something _after all of this. I mean, I thought I really liked the guy but... I don't know. I'm not sure I ever really liked him, I think I liked the idea of being with him, or with somebody. And I feel so happy." She finished, smiling and looking down at the water. Riku watched as her reflection smiled back at her. He smiled and placed the oar down.

"I think I get what you mean. I'm just glad you're happy Xi." She looked up at him and for a moment, he let himself think about what it would feel like to be the guy she wanted. But only for a moment, because he knew that it would never happen, and he didn't want to get his hopes up. He was the best friend, almost like a brother. And despite how much he liked her, all he wanted was for her to be happy, even if it was with someone else. And he knew that with her, there'd always be someone else.

"Come on." He said, trying to keep his smile on and his tone light, despite his depressing revelation. "We should get back." He went to put the oar in the water but was stopped by Xion's hand on his wrist. He looked up to see her smiling at him, her eyes warm and happy... and there was something new in there but he couldn't quite place it.

"Riku, thanks for being there for me all that time. It couldn't have been easy, but I'm not sure how I would've done it without you." She said. _'You don't know the half of it.'_ That's what he was thinking, but of course he couldn't say that. So he forced a smile back on and looked over at his best friend.

"No problem Xion. What are friends for?"

* * *

**(1) Leon's parents own a shipping company named Squall Inc. that exports and imports all tradable goods from the island, so they're loaded. Riku's grandmother owns Destiny Island Memorial Hospital. That's to explain their wealth in case you guys were curious.**

**(2) Selphie Namine and Kairi had girls day planned, so they wore bathing suits under their clothes for conveniency. And they brought like tote bags with them for their towels, sunglasses, suncreen/tanning oil, etc. I just didn't feel like explaining all that in the story.**

**A.N.- The title of the chapter was taken because it's inspired by Riku and his feelings for Xion. And I love it. Sorry if that was short-ish, it was just a filler. I know girls' day and Riku/Xion were longer than the guys working, but to be honest, I feel like the last two chapters have uncovered a lot about Roxas and Sora, and Namine told y'all EVERYTHING about their relationship (ok not everything but a lot), so I ran out of ideas. **

**On the bright side, the Riku arc is picking up a bit:) However, we'll have to see if he's right or not. In the next chapter, we'll be getting Xion's perspective of their litle *ahem* moment on the lake. We'll also see some of the golden trio next chapter (Riku, Sora, Kairi)**

**Anyways, the next few chapters will be the road trip to DJ (Deep Jungle) and the whole obstacle course. I'm thinking it'll be split into three parts, which means three different chapters. The next part should be up within the next month because cheer season ends in a little over a week!**

**I just wanted to let y'all know I'm doing a quick multi-chap soon, along with this one! It'll be Kingdom Hearts, and it'll be Sokai but here's the twist. It's kind of a Titanic AU. But I'm not gonna put it in the crossover section because it really isn't using Titanic characters, all the characters will be KH. **

**Let me know what you thought:)**

**P.S.- I know in Chapter one it was Destiny Island Local Hospital instead of Destiny Island Memorial Hospital so let's just pretend it was always memorial, okay? Also, this WILL come up later, so remember it. And so will Riku's grandmother cuz she's adorable**


	10. ANNOUNCEMENT

**Sorry to get your hopes up! I just wanted to let you all know I am really sorry for the unannounced semi-hiatus, and that I am currently working on the next chapter. I have the rest of the story outlined all the way up to Chapter 27**

**In the next few chapters, you will see a lot more interaction between friends. You may be surprised at the turn of events as well. You will see some more of the minor characters and you will even see interaction with the main character's family members and parents. There's a lot to look forward to and I'm trying to drop little hints at anything that may be coming up in the future.**

**Also, I intend to try and finish this story soon and I am planning on a sequel that follows the gang throughout their senior year of high school. The next chapter will be up in the next few days, thank you guys for still reading this and supporting me**!


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